Argentina Poverty Rate Drops to 31.6% in 2025, Lowest Since 2018

Argentina's poverty rate has decreased significantly to 31.6% in the first half of 2025, the lowest level since 2018, according to data from the National Institute of Argentine Statistics and Census (INDEC). This represents a decline of 6.5 percentage points compared to the second half of 2024, when poverty stood at 38.1%, and a sharp reduction from nearly 53% at the start of President Javier Milei’s term. The drop in poverty has been attributed largely to a strong reduction in inflation, which fell from triple-digit levels to around 118% in 2024 and continued decreasing in 2025, alongside a significant increase in household incomes that outpaced the rise in the cost of basic food and overall baskets. Extreme poverty, or indigence, also declined to 6.9%, reflecting improved purchasing power among vulnerable groups, particularly informal workers who benefit from slower price increases. President Milei’s government has positively received the figures, viewing them as evidence that austerity measures and economic policies are beginning to yield results. However, experts note there may be methodological challenges in measuring poverty, and the total number of poor in Argentina, including rural areas, is estimated at about 15 million people, nearly one-third of the population.