Filling up a bus costs up to $75,000 more depending on the province: Santa Cruz leads the ranking and Misiones is the cheapest.

Filling up a grocery store in Argentina can cost more than $75,000, depending on the province . This was revealed by a report by the consulting firm Analytica , which compared the cost of a basic supermarket basket for a typical family—two adults and two children—with identical brands and packaging across the country.

The survey found that Patagonia leads the ranking of highest prices: Santa Cruz ranked first with $769,319, followed by Chubut ($759,467), Tierra del Fuego ($751,937), and Río Negro ($742,188). At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest provinces were Misiones ($691,579), Chaco ($693,219), and Formosa ($693,746). The gap between Santa Cruz and Misiones exceeds $75,000 for the same quantity and variety of products.

In July, Jujuy recorded the highest increase in the basket, with 3.9% compared to June, while Catamarca and Corrientes rose 2.5%. In absolute terms, Catamarca led the way with an increase of $34,000 in one month, followed by Corrientes (+$29,927), Jujuy (+$28,213), and La Rioja (+$23,139). In Patagonia, the increases were smaller: Tierra del Fuego added $8,631 and Santa Cruz just $4,997. Misiones saw a 1% increase, in line with the 0.7% increase in Santa Cruz.

Bread led the increases, with increases exceeding 5% in almost all provinces, except Catamarca (+2.5%), La Rioja (+2.5%), and Jujuy (+2.9%). Sugar also rose between 3% and 5% in most of the country, with exceptions such as Córdoba (+1.3%) and Misiones (+7.6%). Instant coffee rose between 2% and 3% overall, although in Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego the increase was only 0.3%. Chicken breasts performed similarly, with more contained increases in the south.

Some items saw price drops: a can of corn fell 5.5% in Chaco, 4.3% in San Juan, and 3.4% in Formosa. Dulce de leche fell in price in Buenos Aires (-4.5%), Chaco (-4.4%), and Greater Buenos Aires (-4.2%). In other provinces, prices remained stable or rose by less than 1%.

The report shows that in places where base prices are high—such as Patagonia—monthly increases tend to be more moderate (0.3% to 1.3%). In contrast, in the Northwest and Northeast regions, where the basket starts at a lower price, increases tend to be more pronounced. This widens the gap between regions.

The 13% rise in the dollar in July was partially reflected in prices, and analysts warn that its full impact could be felt in August. Despite the inflation slowdown—the July CPI was 1.9% monthly and 36.6% year-on-year, according to INDEC (National Institute of Statistics and Census)—access to the basic necessities of life remains limited by geographic location and logistics costs.