Custo de vida: um estudo na região de fronteira entre Argentina, Brasil e Paraguai

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is to analyze the minimum wages of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, verifying the purchasing power of each one. For the analysis and verification, we sought to know the values practiced in each country and made their conversion to the dollar, a fact that contributed to a better comparison. After searching for the values practiced, we tried to establish what would be the items that should be compared. The established items, refer to similar products, which belong to the basic baskets of each of the countries, as well as the rental costs, water, electricity and fuel. Completing the cost survey, a comparison was made for each of the items. With the comparative analysis, it was possible to notice that for both food and rental items, there is a considerable difference between the prices practiced in the three countries. And this difference has a significant impact on the purchasing power of wages. It was possible to verify that, although Argentina pays a value, higher than the others, the costs for a worker to live, exceed the values of the minimum wage. In the case of Paraguay, the cost of living also exceeds the minimum wage, but the situation is not as serious as the situation in the first country. In the case of Brazil, even though the minimum wage is the lowest of the three, the cost of purchasing food products and paying rent is lower than the value practiced.