The average cost of public services for a representative household in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA) has experienced a reduction for the second consecutive month in October, decreasing by 2.5% compared to September. These data come from a report prepared by the Tariffs and Subsidies Observatory IIEP, affiliated with UBA-Conicet.
According to the report, in October an average household in the AMBA, without subsidies, allocated a total of $134,414 per month to cover its energy, transportation, and drinking water needs at home. This represents a decrease of 2.5% compared to September, when the cost reached $141,534. The IIEP argues this decrease based on two main factors: lower consumption of electricity and gas due to the end of winter, and slight increases in electricity tariffs (+3.1%) and natural gas (+0.5%), as well as water rate schedules.
The IIEP noted that, on average, households in the AMBA pay utility tariffs that cover 53% of total costs, leaving the state responsible for the remaining 47%. However, it was indicated that this coverage varies between household segments and services. Tariff coverage in the last eleven months has increased, being 11 percentage points higher than the average of the last ten months, due to tariff increases that provide greater stability in costs outside of seasonal peaks.
Regarding December 2023, the study revealed a 369% increase in the total cost of the service basket, driven by updates in transportation, electricity, natural gas, and water tariffs. Specifically, it was observed that the natural gas bill had the most significant increase, reaching a 715% rise compared to December 2023, explained both by tariff increases and seasonal consumption growth.
Additionally, spending on electricity rose by 162%, while non-seasonal public services recorded an increase of 601% in transportation and 289% in water. The report concluded that the public service basket in October in the AMBA represents 12.2% of the estimated average salary for the month, with transportation spending reaching 42%, a proportion significantly higher than other services.
