Introduction
According to research by Cloudwards, which compared the cost of Netflix’s standard plan against average income in 100 countries, Latin Americans need to work between two and five hours per month to afford a Netflix subscription. This article explores the disparities in accessibility and affordability of streaming services like Netflix across Latin America, focusing on how many working hours it takes to subscribe.
Regional Breakdown
Among Latin American countries, Chile leads as the most affordable nation for Netflix, requiring only one hour and fifty-eight minutes of work to cover the standard plan’s cost. Following Chile are Costa Rica (two hours and seventeen minutes), Bolivia (two hours and forty-three minutes), Brazil (two hours and forty-nine minutes), Argentina (two hours and fifty-three minutes), Uruguay (two hours and fifty-seven minutes), Paraguay (two hours and fifty-nine minutes), Colombia (three hours and eight minutes), and Ecuador (three hours and thirty-three minutes).
At the other end of the spectrum are El Salvador (four hours and eight minutes), Dominican Republic (four hours and twenty-eight minutes), Peru (five hours and one minute), Mexico (five hours and two minutes), and Guatemala (five hours and thirteen minutes), where watching series and movies equates to nearly half a working day.
Streaming and Inequality
Cloudwards’ study juxtaposes local Netflix pricing with average income estimates from the International Labour Organization (ILO), unveiling how disparities in purchasing power translate to digital entertainment access. In countries with higher incomes, paying for a subscription equates to less than half an hour of work. Conversely, in others, it involves full working days.
Globally, Norway, Luxembourg, and Iceland top the list of most affordable countries, requiring only twenty-four to twenty-seven minutes of work for the standard Netflix plan. Meanwhile, Rwanda leads in countries where the cost is highest, necessitating over thirty-five hours of work—more than four full working days—for the same subscription.
Netflix’s Strategies
With over 300 million subscribers worldwide, Netflix has adopted various strategies tailored to each market. In the United States and Canada, they eliminated the basic plan and focused on the standard version with ads. In Latin America, Netflix has prioritized cracking down on shared accounts, conducting trials in countries like Chile, Peru, and Costa Rica.
Key Questions and Answers
- What does the study by Cloudwards reveal? The research highlights significant disparities in how many working hours Latin Americans need to afford a Netflix subscription, ranging from two to five hours depending on their country.
- Which countries have the most affordable Netflix subscriptions? Chile, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, and Ecuador have the most affordable Netflix plans in Latin America.
- Which countries have the most expensive Netflix subscriptions? El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala have the most expensive Netflix plans in Latin America.
- How does Netflix adapt its pricing strategies across different markets? In high-income countries like the US and Canada, Netflix focuses on a standard plan with ads. In Latin America, they prioritize limiting shared accounts.
