MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, region's highest cost of living

Chile, Brazil and Uruguay have the highest cost of living in Latinamerica according to a report from the Chilean Statistics Institute (INE) released in Santiago.

The report based on official information from government institutions, compares homes' consumption in the continent's ten countries and is based on 2005 purchasing power parity, PPP.

According to the survey "if a visitor from outside the region was to move from one country to another and exactly compare the same Basic basked to goods and services in each of them, the largest disbursement would occur in Chile and the least in Paraguay and Bolivia".

However Argentina rates first in so far as consumer goods and services with 60% above the region's average, followed by Chile, which is 48% above the regional average.

"Argentina, Chile and Uruguay showed the highest level of well being in South America in 2005, with similar positions to those of ten years ago", points out the INE report.

As to some specific goods house appliances, pharmaceutical products and automobiles are cheaper in Chile than in the rest of the region, while beef is more accessible in Argentina and Uruguay, both strong meat producers.

"Cars are relatively cheap in Chile and Argentina. However in Brazil, which is the largest manufacturer in the region, prices are in range with the region's average. Books are more expensive in Chile, Brazil and Venezuela, but cheap in Argentina".