The biggest impact will be the updating of energy rates, but there will also be increases in fuel and Internet, among others.
For iProfessional
01/28/2023 – 11:17 a.m.
The month of February comes with increases that will hit the pocket of consumers and put pressure on the inflation estimated by the national government. The Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, set a goal to be achieved: for the index to start with 3% in March and close 2023 at around 60%.
The greatest impact will be the updating of the energy rates for those who are entitled to the removal of subsidies, but there will also be increases in fuel, prepaid and rentals, among others.
fuels
According to the price increase scheme for gasoline and diesel agreed through the Fair Prices program, fuels will have an increase of 4% during February and another rise of 3.8% in March.
Light
Meanwhile, residential electricity users, included in levels 1 of high income and 3 of medium income, will receive an average increase of 14% in their electricity service on their bills.
Gas
For their part, gas bills still have rate increases pending definition. On January 4, a public hearing was held that ensured a rise in gas service for February, but the official announcement of the exact percentage is still pending.
According to the Secretary of Energy, Flavia Royón, during 2023 there will be a single update in the cost of the input of 28.3% for those users who receive high and medium income.
Bills will have an average increase of 14% in electricity service
prepaid medicine
In the case of the prepaid medicinehad during 2022 an increase of more than 100%, exceeding the inflation rate that stood at 94.8%.
As of February 2023, a new quota increase formula will begin to be applied, linked to the salary variation index (Ripte), which, calculated at the end of December, increase to apply for prepaid It will be 4.91% in February for those below the ceiling (90% of the Ripte index of the previous month for those with net income less than six minimum, vital and mobile wages, which were $406,458 in February).
Meanwhile, for holders who exceed this amount, the prepaid will apply monthly increases that will be governed according to the Health Cost Index, which will imply, in February, an increase of 8.21%. To obtain the benefit, a monthly affidavit must be completed through the AFIP page.
Telephone, internet and cable TV
Meanwhile, the National Communications Entity (Enacom) authorized staggered increases of up to 9.8% in February and 7.8% in April for telephone, Internet and cable television services.
“The Licensees of Mobile Communications Services (SCM) may apply as of February 1, 2023, an increase in the value of the retail prices of any of their plans in the postpaid and/or mixed modality, in a percentage of up to 9.80%, taking as a reference their current prices as of January 31, 2023”, according to Resolution 2393/2022 published in the Official Gazette.
These percentage increases apply, in general, to SMEs, cooperatives and small companies, since the large firms in the sector resorted to injunctions and precautionary measures that allowed them to increase their bills above the percentages determined by the regulatory body.
rentals
For tenants whose contracts have to perform the annual update in February 2023the increases will be 85.88%, according to the update index established by the current controversial Rental Law, which contemplates the monthly variations of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the variation of wages
