Inflation in the milongas

Foreign visitors to Buenos Aires don’t feel the economic pinch as porteños do.  If you arrive with dollars or Euros to spend, you get an excellent exchange rate.  Your biggest cost is travel and lodging.  Once you arrive, your expenses for milongas, local travel, and food are small.

Porteños face a different situation.  One visit to a milonga may cost 200 pesos with the cost of taxis, entradas, drinks, etc.  Many portenos are not going to dance as often as they used to.  Those who live on a retirement income have to manage their money to last until the end of the month.

This is a comparison of prices for 2000 versus 2014:

Bus ride: 70 centavos (2000)  2.70+ (2014) with SUBE card. Coins only 5.00

Subway ride:  70 centavos (2000)  4.50 (2014)

Haircut: 12 pesos (2000) 60 pesos+ (2014)

Loaf of sliced wheat bread: 2.75 pesos (2000) 40 pesos (2014)

Entrada at a milonga: 3-5 pesos (2000)  30-50 pesos (2014)

Bottled water at a milonga: 4 pesos (2000) 18+ pesos (2014)

The dollar was equal to the peso in 2000.  Today the dollar is worth about ten pesos.  There is really no increase in the milonga entrada for those with dollars; you probably pay more at your local milongas.  When I paid 3-5 pesos in 2000, I was going to milongas almost every day of the week.  I’ve felt the inflation pinch myself.  However, two or three milongas a week is enough to satisfy my tango passion.  I don’t want to abuse my feet either.