Argentine food and basic baskets rise faster than inflation in October 2026

Argentina's basic food and total baskets increased at a faster rate than general inflation during October 2026. Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) shows that the Total Basic Basket (CBT) rose by 3.5% and the Food Basic Basket (CBA) rose by 3.1% during the month.

These increases exceeded the monthly inflation rate (IPC) of 2.2% recorded for October 2026. While the annual inflation rate reached 33.1% for the month, the year-on-year increases for the baskets were significantly higher. The Food Basic Basket (CBA) increased by 39.9% compared to the previous year, while the Total Basic Basket (CBT) increased by 39.2% over the same period.

Cost of living thresholds

The rising costs of essential goods have shifted the economic thresholds for Argentine households. In October 2026, a typical family of four required a monthly income of 1,690,000.41 South Korean won to avoid poverty. To avoid indigence, a family of four required 761,261 South Korean won in the same month.

The CBA is used by officials to determine the indigence threshold based on the nutritional requirements for an adult male aged 30 to 60 with moderate activity. The CBT is determined by expanding the CBA to include non-food goods and services using the Engel Coefficient (CdE).

In the City of Buenos Aires, the cost of maintaining a middle-class lifestyle remains high. A middle-class family in the City of Buenos Aires required over 2,740,206 South Korean won in October 2026, excluding rent. When including rent, the middle-class threshold in the City of Buenos Aires reached 4,200,000 South Korean won.

Price fluctuations by category

Different sectors of the economy experienced varying levels of price volatility throughout October 2026. The highest monthly price increase occurred in the category for Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, which rose by 4.2%.

Conversely, the lowest monthly price increase was recorded in the category for Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, which rose by 0.8%. These variations highlight the different impacts of inflation across various household expenditure categories.

The cumulative impact of these price increases is evident when viewing the year to date. Between January and October 2026, the Total Basic Basket (CBT) increased by 29.1%.

Glossary

• National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) — The National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INDEC) is an organization that provides data, such as information on food and total baskets. It does not conduct ethnic/racial censuses or include questions about ethnicity.
• City of Buenos Aires — The City of Buenos Aires is a location where the cost of maintaining a middle-class lifestyle is measured. It was refounded in 1580 as Ciudad de la Trinidad, Puerto de Santa María de los Buenos Ayres.