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Average Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic Salary in Argentina for 2026

A refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Argentina earns about 257,700 ARS a year. That's 52% below the national average of 541,700 ARS.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Argentina sit around 119,900 ARS a year, while the very top stretches to 407,300 ARS. Everything on this page is in Argentine peso (ARS, symbol $), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in Argentina, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.


How much does a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic make in Argentina?

Average salary
257,700 ARS
21,475 ARS per month
Lowest reported
119,900 ARS
9,991 ARS per month
Highest reported
407,300 ARS
33,941 ARS per month

A typical refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic working in Argentina brings home around 21,475 ARS a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 119,900 ARS, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 407,300 ARS for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around.


How refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay ranges in Argentina

A good way to think about salary in Argentina is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina earn less than 275,200 ARS a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 175,900 ARS (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 362,200 ARS (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 119,900 ARS. The highest stretch to 407,300 ARS, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

119,900
Low
275,200
Median
407,300
High
175,900
25th
362,200
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in ARS

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay by experience in Argentina

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Argentina, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    138,800 ARS
  • 2-5 Years
    +38% from previous
    191,600 ARS
  • 5-10 Years
    +42% from previous
    273,000 ARS
  • 10-15 Years
    +23% from previous
    335,100 ARS
  • 15-20 Years
    +5% from previous
    351,200 ARS
  • 20+ Years
    +9% from previous
    384,500 ARS

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 42%. That is the point at which a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.


Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay by education in Argentina

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay in Argentina. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary in Argentina broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    168,100 ARS
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +50% from previous
    252,300 ARS
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +50% from previous
    378,800 ARS

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic gender pay gap in Argentina

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Argentina is no exception. Male refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina earn an average of 268,900 ARS a year, while female refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics earn around 251,500 ARS. That works out to a 7% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic gender pay gap

6%

Men earn this much more than women on average in Argentina.

Men 268,900 ARS
Women 251,500 ARS

Pay raises for a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Argentina

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in Argentina sees a raise of about 9% every 19 months, which works out to roughly 6% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in Argentina, the national average raise is around 9% every 17 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in Argentina:

  • Banking
    1%
  • Energy
    2%
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic bonus rates in Argentina

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

30%

30% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 70% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in Argentina

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in Argentina is about 6% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Argentina on average.

Public sector 556,000 ARS
Private sector 524,400 ARS

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary by city in Argentina

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay is not even across Argentina. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • Cordoba
  • San Miguel de Tucuman
  • Buenos Aires
  • Salta
  • Corrientes
  • Rosario
  • La Plata
  • Bahia Blanca
  • Mar del Plata
  • Neuquen
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
CordobaCity294,700 ARS307,400 ARS142,300-464,400 ARS
San Miguel de TucumanCity283,700 ARS275,200 ARS150,000-433,800 ARS
Buenos AiresCity283,400 ARS297,000 ARS134,600-447,300 ARS
SaltaCity282,300 ARS261,300 ARS152,000-428,400 ARS
CorrientesCity279,400 ARS275,200 ARS143,200-431,100 ARS
RosarioCity277,400 ARS282,300 ARS136,200-431,300 ARS
La PlataCity275,800 ARS271,300 ARS138,800-424,900 ARS
Bahia BlancaCity275,500 ARS261,300 ARS148,300-420,100 ARS
Mar del PlataCity275,200 ARS258,400 ARS146,200-417,200 ARS
NeuquenCity267,100 ARS273,300 ARS128,900-419,400 ARS
Santa FeCity266,000 ARS286,400 ARS123,400-424,300 ARS
LanusCity263,900 ARS282,500 ARS119,900-417,100 ARS
ResistenciaCity259,100 ARS271,300 ARS124,400-407,100 ARS
Santiago del EsteroCity258,400 ARS258,400 ARS129,000-398,300 ARS
MendozaCity254,700 ARS254,700 ARS125,700-394,300 ARS
San JuanCity252,300 ARS268,900 ARS117,860-399,900 ARS
QuilmesCity252,300 ARS232,400 ARS137,400-384,200 ARS
AvellanedaCity246,500 ARS239,000 ARS129,000-378,300 ARS


Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic in Argentina: FAQs

  • How much does a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic make per month in Argentina?

    A refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Argentina earns about 21,475 ARS a month before tax, based on an annual average of 257,700 ARS.

  • What's the salary range for a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Argentina?

    Entry-level refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina start near 119,900 ARS. Top-end pay reaches around 407,300 ARS. The middle 50% of earners sit between 175,900 and 362,200 ARS.

  • Is the median refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary in Argentina higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 275,200 ARS, higher than the average of 257,700 ARS. Half of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina?

    Men working as a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Argentina earn around 7% more than women on average (268,900 vs 251,500 ARS a year).

  • Do refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina get bonuses?

    About 30% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics earn more in the public or private sector in Argentina?

    In Argentina, the public sector pays a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic about 6% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Argentina get a pay raise?

    A refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Argentina sees a raise of around 9% every 19 months, equivalent to roughly 6% a year.