Argentina poverty rate rises above 30% under Milei
The gist
Argentina's poverty rate rose to 32.3% in the first half of 2026, up from 28.2%.
The reversal comes about a year before Milei seeks reelection.
How it unfolded
- Dec 2023Milei took office; average salaries in real terms remain below this level as of the first half of 2026.
- 2024 H1Poverty surged to nearly 53% (52.9%) after the government's devaluation of the peso and sweeping spending cuts left most Argentines unable to afford a basket of basic goods.
- 2025 H2Poverty rate fell to 28.2%, an eight-year low (lowest since early 2018); extreme poverty was 6.3%.