OBJECTIVES: Little is known about dying in Argentina, we studied costs and readmissions (ReH) <30 days of hospital dying adults. METHODS: A cross sectional study of 1 year hospital discharges, with HCUPs methods (Value in Health;14 (2011):A18), of patients ≥19 yrs old. We obtained deaths, first admission (1 adm) and ReH ≤365 days and ReH <30 days; total direct medical cost  (TC I$), mean (I$) (SD), median I$ (Q1-Q3) discharge cost, (in I$ PPP, 2008), stratified by age/sex, admissions and ReH <30 days and <365 days.  RESULTS: Total mortality for ≥19 yrs old patients was 4,70%. Among 2137 deaths, Total cost of those dead in hospital, TC I$: 40 540 842 ; mean cost per discharge (I$) was 19853 (SD 45 599); Median cost per discharge I$ 4182; (Q1: 1452-Q3: 17730 I$), comprising 8,31 % of TC I$.  Among 43321 discharges, TC$ of those alive, TC: 447 300 754 I$; mean cost per discharge ($) was 10569 I$ (SD 21 217); Median cost per discharge 14 091 I$; (Q1: 2 496- Q3:10 054 I$). Relative dead /alive I$ was 1,88 times higher. Mean discharge cost of deceased stratified by age group (mortality 19-64 yrs. old: 1,52%, I$ 48332, age 19-64/≥19 yrs old ratio: 2,43; 65-74 yrs old: 4,72%,I$ 25968, age ratio: 1,31; 75-84 yrs old: 8,45%; I$ 15471, age ratio: 0,78; 85+ yrs old: 14,09%, I$ 7832, age ratio: 0,39), and sex, males (47,4%) had a I$: 22679 (M/F I$ ratio: 1,45). In 1 adm.(53% of deaths), mean cost was I$ 23 792; while ReH ≤365 days (47% of deaths), I$ 13 530, cost ratio ReH/1 adm= 0,57 ; and if ReH <30 days (29,5%), I$ 12354, cost ratio ReH<30/1 adm=0,52. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the economic burden of dying helps promote better and cost-effective ways of promoting palliative care, old and readmitted deaths are less costly.