Key Facts: Argentina Wages
- Country
- Argentina (ARG)
- Continent
- South America
- Currency
- Argentine Peso (ARS)
- Minimum Wage
- ARS1,762 /hr ($1.64 USD)
- Average Gross Monthly Salary
- ARS850,000 /month
- Average Gross Annual Salary
- ARS11,050,000 /year
- Median Individual Income
- ARS5,400,000 /year
- Standard Work Week
- 48 hours
- Data Source
- Consejo Nacional del Empleo, la Productividad y el Salario Mínimo, Vital y Móvil — verified directly via argentina.gob.ar/trabajo/consejodelsalario (primary source)
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-04
Argentina — Average Salary & Wages
Argentine Peso (ARS) Data verified Jan 2026 Sources
The average salary in Argentina is
ARS11,050,000 a year
But half of all workers earn less than ARS5,400,000 .
The average is lifted by bonuses and high earners. Most workers earn less than that.
The minimum wage in Argentina is ARS1,762/hr ($1.64 USD) as of 2026. The average gross monthly salary is ARS850,000 ($792.91 USD). The median monthly income is ARS450,000 ($419.78 USD).
Argentina's minimum wage is among the lowest for South America, ranking #10 out of 13 countries with statutory minimum wages. Over the past 6 years, the minimum wage has increased by 1531% in nominal terms. The standard work week is 48 hours.
Average registered private sector salary. Highly variable due to inflation. Informal employment (estimated at ~35-40% of workforce) typically earns significantly less.
About the Argentina economy
Argentina operates a large, diversified economy with GDP of $633.267 billion at official exchange rates in 2024. Services generate 53.4 percent of output, industry 24 percent, and agriculture 6 percent (OpenFactBook, 2024 est.). Agro-industrial exports dominate trade; soybean meal, corn, trucks, soybean oil, and crude petroleum were the top five export commodities in 2023, with Brazil taking 18 percent of exports. Real GDP contracted 1.6 percent in 2023 and 1.7 percent in 2024 (OpenFactBook). The peso depreciated sharply over the same period; the average official exchange rate moved from 130.617 pesos per US dollar in 2022 to 914.695 in 2024.
The labor force totals approximately 22.286 million workers as of 2024. Unemployment rose to 7.9 percent in 2024, up from 6.2 percent in 2023. Youth unemployment for workers aged 15 to 24 stands at 21.2 percent, with the female rate at 23 percent (OpenFactBook, 2024 est.). Income strain is broad; 41.7 percent of the population lived below the national poverty line in 2023. Inflation has eroded real wages for years, reaching 73.1 percent in 2022 before peaking later and then decelerating. By May 2026 consumer prices rose 2.1 percent month on month and 33.2 percent year on year, with a 14.7 percent rise accumulated in 2026, according to INDEC.
Argentina sets a national wage floor, the Salario Mínimo Vital y Móvil. The National Council on Employment, Productivity and the Minimum Wage revises it frequently because high inflation erodes its value within months. Resolución 9/2025 fixed the rate at 367,800 pesos per month, or 1,839 pesos per hour for daily-rate workers, as of June 2026. The same resolution schedules further increases to 372,400 pesos in July 2026 and 376,600 pesos in August 2026. These scheduled steps trail the 33.2 percent year-on-year inflation rate recorded in May 2026, so the real value of the minimum wage depends on how quickly inflation continues to decelerate.
Minimum Wage Trend
Since 2020, the minimum wage has grown +1531% in nominal terms.
• PPP ADJUSTED
In Argentina, the minimum wage has the purchasing power of $4.20/hr in the United States, adjusted for local cost of living using the World Bank PPP conversion factor.
In Context
At minimum wage, a full-time worker in Argentina earns ARS352,400/mo. That is 41% of the average gross salary.
- Monthly (full-time)
- ARS352,400 at min. wage
- Share of avg. salary
- 41% gross, before tax
- USD equivalent
- $328.73/mo monthly
- Nominal growth
- +1531% since 2020
Wage Breakdown
- Hourly
- ARS1,762
- Monthly
- ARS352,400
- Annual
- ARS4,581,20013 monthly payments (aguinaldo/SAC mandatory in Argentina)
Salario Mínimo Vital y Móvil (SMVM). Set by the Consejo Nacional del Empleo, la Productividad y el Salario Mínimo, Vital y Móvil. Most recent rates per government table: ARS 341,000 (Jan 2026), ARS 346,800 (Feb 2026), ARS 352,400 (Mar 2026). Argentina uses scheduled monthly incremental increases due to high inflation. The aguinaldo (13th salary) is paid in two installments (June and December). Annual calculation reflects 13 payments.
Work Week
- Standard
- 48 hrs/wk
- Maximum
- 48 hrs/wk
- Overtime
- 1.5x pay
Legal maximum of 48 hours/week (8 hours/day for daytime work). Overtime on regular days is 50% premium; Saturdays after 1pm, Sundays and holidays: 100% premium.
How Argentina Compares
| Metric | Argentina | South America Avg. | South America Highest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Min. wage (USD equiv.) | $1.64/hr | $2.72/hr | $13.01/hr (Falkland Islands) |
| Avg. salary (USD equiv.) | $792.91/mo | $656.42/mo | $1,405.33/mo (Trinidad and Tobago) |
Countries with Similar Minimum Wages
| Country | Min. Wage /hr (USD) |
|---|---|
| Guyana | $1.66 |
| Russia | $1.61 |
| Peru | $1.60 |
| Saint Lucia | $1.69 |
| Panama | $1.69 |
| Argentina | $1.64 |
Related Wage Comparisons
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Falkland Islands Cost of Living
Wages tell half the story. See purchasing power, prices, and quality-of-life context for Argentina on our sister site.
Cost of living in Argentina on costofliving.is →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Argentina?
The minimum wage in Argentina is ARS1,762/hr (approximately $1.64 USD), effective since 2026-03-01. Salario Mínimo Vital y Móvil (SMVM). Set by the Consejo Nacional del Empleo, la Productividad y el Salario Mínimo, Vital y Móvil. Most recent rates per government table: ARS 341,000 (Jan 2026), ARS 346,800 (Feb 2026), ARS 352,400 (Mar 2026). Argentina uses scheduled monthly incremental increases due to high inflation. The aguinaldo (13th salary) is paid in two installments (June and December). Annual calculation reflects 13 payments.
What is the average salary in Argentina?
The average gross monthly salary in Argentina is ARS850,000 (approximately $792.91 USD). Average registered private sector salary. Highly variable due to inflation. Informal employment (estimated at ~35-40% of workforce) typically earns significantly less. Source: INDEC (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censos) (2025).
How many hours is the standard work week in Argentina?
The standard work week in Argentina is 48 hours, with a legal maximum of 48 hours. Overtime is paid at 1.5x the normal rate. Legal maximum of 48 hours/week (8 hours/day for daytime work). Overtime on regular days is 50% premium; Saturdays after 1pm, Sundays and holidays: 100% premium.
How has the minimum wage in Argentina changed over time?
The minimum wage in Argentina has changed as follows: ARS21,600 in 2020, ARS33,000 in 2021, ARS69,500 in 2022, ARS156,000 in 2023, ARS268,056.50 in 2024, ARS271,571.22 in 2025, ARS352,400 in 2026. This represents 7 recorded adjustments.
What is the minimum wage in Argentina in USD?
The minimum wage in Argentina converts to approximately $1.64/hr in US dollars, based on current exchange rates. Note: this currency has multiple exchange rates. Official and parallel or market rates diverge, so the real dollar value can differ substantially from this figure depending on the rate used. Actual purchasing power may differ due to local cost of living.
What is the average salary in Argentina in USD?
The average gross monthly salary in Argentina is approximately $792.91 per month in US dollars, based on current exchange rates. Note: this currency has multiple exchange rates. Official and parallel or market rates diverge, so the real dollar value can differ substantially from this figure depending on the rate used. Actual purchasing power may differ due to local cost of living.
How does Argentina's minimum wage compare to the South America average?
Argentina's minimum wage ranks #10 out of 13 countries with statutory minimum wages in South America, placing it below the median for South America.
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