Cab fares in Buenos Aires increase by 30%: How do costs differ in Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia?

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Cab rides in the City of Buenos Aires (Argentina) have increased by 30% in the last hours, and the daytime fare has gone up to ARS 144 (US$1.27 at the official rate and US$0.73 at the blue dollar rate), while the nighttime fare has jumped to ARS 174.

With inflation that does not stop its pressure on incomes, the cab increase is added to other adjustments during this month, such as pre-payments and telecommunications, after fuel and public services rates also increased in March.

It was the first update of the year for cabs. Thus, the daytime fare increased to ARS 14.40, equivalent to US$0.073 of the blue dollar, while the nighttime fare rose to ARS 17.40, equivalent to US$0.08.

With the latest increase, the cost of starting a daytime trip in downtown Buenos Aires is ARS 144. If the passenger decides to take a cab between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, they will have to pay a slightly higher price of ARS 174 to start the trip.

Thus, despite the recent adjustment, taking a cab is cheaper in Buenos Aires than in Bogotá (Colombia) or São Paulo (Brazil), where getting into the car costs US$1.21 and US$1.18, respectively. However, the “banderazo”, as it is known in Mexico, of the Taxi Libre service in Mexico City is cheaper, at US$0.44.

At the beginning of April, the Executive Secretariat of Transportation and Urban Mobility and the Public Transportation Secretariat of São Paulo authorized an increase, and the gap with the Argentine price widens even more if the price of opting for a “luxury cab” is taken into account, whose price is US$1.76.

Meanwhile, with Bogotá, the difference also widens if the night, Sunday, and holiday surcharge of US$0.59 is taken into account.

Due to the pandemic and the low circulation, throughout 2020, the fares of the cabs of Buenos Aires remained unchanged, although, in 2021, there was an increase of more than 86%, which was well above inflation.

In turn, the April update was also higher than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since, according to INDEC, in the first three months of the year, it was 16.1%.

With information from Bloomberg Línea