Argentina-Uruguay border: Incredible price differences for 10 products explained

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The study identified a price difference of 58.8% in food and non-alcoholic beverages, 67.09% in alcoholic beverages and tobacco and 26.97% in everything related to clothing.

But while a difference of this kind can be found in border towns – where it is cheaper to buy in Argentina than in Uruguay -, when drawing an overall comparison with the current exchange rate a slightly smoother situation is found (and with Uruguay having even better prices in some categories).

Taking the dollar value for purchase from the Banco República del Uruguay as 42.8 Uruguayan pesos and from the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic as Argentine pesos A$99.75, the main products of supermarket chains Disco and Tienda Inglesa (two of the most important in the country) were compared.

The following prices were reached:

• A kilo of beef costs A$1109 or US$11 in Argentina while in Uruguay it costs 405 Uruguayan pesos (about US$9.46);
• Bimbo white bread costs A$291 (US$2.90) in Argentina and 116 Uruguayan pesos (US$2.7) in Uruguay;
• A liter of La Serenísima brand milk costs A$81 in Argentina (US$0.81), while the Conaprole brand in Uruguay costs 36 Uruguayan pesos (US$0.84);
• 1,5l of Coca Cola costs A$130 in Argentina (US$1.30) and in Uruguay it is 117 Uruguayan pesos (US$2.73);
• A bus ride can cost A$49.5 in Argentina (US$0.49), while in Uruguay it is almost double at 44 Uruguayan pesos (US$1.02);
• A liter of gasoline costs A$90.40 (US$0.90) in Argentina and 70.4 Uruguayan pesos (US$1.64) in Uruguay;
• A 10-capsule paracetamol costs A$279 (US$2.79) in Argentina and about 72 Uruguayan pesos (US$1.68) in Uruguayan stores;
• A Marlboro cigarette pack can be bought for A$229 (US$2.29) in Argentina, while in Uruguay it is 184 Uruguayan pesos (US$4.29);
• A liter of Stella Artois beer costs A$231 (US$2.31) in Argentina and 170 Uruguayan pesos (US$3.97);
• A pair of Levi’s 501 jeans costs A$8900 (US$89.20) in Argentina, while in Uruguay it costs 5690 Uruguayan pesos (US$134.80).

Considering all of the above, Argentina is more affordable for people looking to buy clothing, alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, while in Uruguay some food and non-alcoholic beverages are available for a better price.

Likewise, transportation and gasoline are still much more affordable in Argentina, with bus tickets costing almost half as much as in Uruguay, while filling up a tank costs almost a third less in Argentina when compared to Uruguayan prices.