More than half of households in Argentina have taken on debt over the past six months to cover basic expenses such as food, rent and utilities, a stark indicator of the country’s deepening economic distress, according to a report released by consulting firm Zentrix.
The study, part of the firm’s Public Opinion Monitor, found that 56.4% of households resorted to borrowing to make ends meet—not for investments, but for everyday survival. Of those, nearly nine out of ten are already struggling to repay what they owe.
The findings paint a picture of an economy where wages consistently lag behind inflation. A full 83.9% of respondents said their salaries do not keep up with rising prices, and more than half run out of money before the 20th of each month. The report describes a four‑stage cycle of decline: falling purchasing power, difficulty sustaining monthly consumption, reliance on debt to fill the gap, and finally a growing inability to meet payment obligations.
Distrust in official data is widespread. Nearly two‑thirds of the population—65.8%—believe that inflation figures published by INDEC, the national statistics agency, do not reflect the reality of their daily expenses.
Critics say the gap between official metrics and lived experience has been fueled by allegations of political interference in statistical reporting and methodological disagreements over how consumption baskets are weighted.
The controversy over data credibility came to a head in early February when Marco Lavagna resigned as head of INDEC, citing differences over methodology.
📉 | La mentira del Indec, Milei y Caputo
— El Portavoz Argentino
La renuncia de Marco Lavagna al INDEC y la decisión del Gobierno de postergar la actualización del índice de precios reavivan dudas sobre la credibilidad de las estadísticas oficiales de inflación. pic.twitter.com/rcuG2Q01km(@ElPortavozARG) February 7, 2026
Author: Victor Miranda
Source: agencies
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