A report from the Argentine Association of Motor Transport Companies (AAETA) revealed that the real cost of a bus ticket in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) should be ARS 1,713.6 if there were no subsidies. This value contrasts drastically with the current minimum price, which is ARS 451.01. According to the Argentine News Agency, the "Bondi Index - AMBA September 2025" highlights the economic gap that sustains the public transport system.
The report details the complex cost and subsidy structure that maintains current fares: • Monthly system maintenance cost (recognized by the Secretariat of Transport): ARS 265,779,100 • Real cost (according to AAETA): ARS 351,910,050 • Loss due to service quality, frequencies, safety, and fleet renewal: -ARS 86,130,940 (millions of pesos)
The gap between the price and the subsidy The comparison between the real price and the recognized cost evidences the magnitude of state assistance: • Current minimum ticket price (with the last national increase, July 2025): ARS 451.01 • Real ticket price without subsidy (average - VAT included 10.5%): ARS 1,713.6 • Number of passengers (6-month moving average): 227,205,932 • State compensation + tickets sold: ARS 1,092.28 • Real ticket cost (without VAT): ARS 1,550.75 • Companies' losses (to be added to compensations): ARS 458.47
The chart included in the study shows the "Gap" between the real cost and the recognized cost (with VAT), evidencing that this difference ranges between 27% and 33% in different jurisdictions such as CABA, Nation, and PBA. This means that subsidies not only cover a substantial part of the ticket, but companies also operate with a margin that does not cover the real cost of the service, affecting quality and fleet renewal.
