DISINFO: In Chile, 10 kilograms of bread cost as much as an average monthly salary
SUMMARY
The average salary in Chile is 300,000 pesos and one kilogram of bread costs 30.000 pesos. It is impossible to live this way – an insignificant increase in the price of subway tickets caused the people to go out on the streets.
RESPONSE
This disinformation message promotes the idea of a completely unbearable economic situation in Chile. The available data shows that one kilogram of bread does not cost 30,000 Chilean pesos (36 EUR) - according to two different price-comparison global services (GlobalPrice, Numbeo), one kilogram of bread costs in Chile about 2,000 Chilean pesos (2.45 EUR). The following study shows that one kg of bread in Chile costs even less - 0.95 USD. The current minimum salary in Chile is 301,000 Chilean pesos (366 EUR). The current average salary in Chile is 405,000 pesos (493 EUR or 550 USD). Chile continues to be one of the richest countries in Latin America, but also suffers severe income inequality (the worst among the 36 member nations of the OECD), leading to the current protests. From 1991-2005, Chile faced spectacular rates of GDP growth (on average, 4.1% a year). In 2019, the predicted GDP growth has fallen to an estimated 2 - 2.6% a year due to negative economic impacts from the protests.