Updated with September 2026 prices
What did it cost back then?
Official U.S. prices for 53 everyday things, from eggs to heating oil, every month since 1976. Find one and see then and now.
53 prices, then and now
The tag is the newest price. Bottom left is the oldest price on record, and the line in between is every month since. Chips compare with the same month a year earlier: red costs you more, green costs you less.
Every item, grouped by aisle. Sort to see this year’s biggest moves.
Sort:
- down 34.9% from a year earlier Eggsper dozen Oldest price, 198087.9¢September 2026: $2.27
- down 0.6% from a year earlier Whole milkper gallon Oldest price, 1995$2.48September 2026: $4.11
- down 1.6% from a year earlier Reduced-fat milkper gallon Oldest price, 2018$2.66September 2026: $3.59
- down 17.3% from a year earlier Butterper lb Oldest price, 2018$4.15September 2026: $3.96
- up 1.4% from a year earlier Cheddar cheeseper lb Oldest price, 1984$3.05September 2026: $6.13
- down 3.8% from a year earlier American cheeseper lb Oldest price, 1984$2.48September 2026: $4.74
- down 7.3% from a year earlier Ice creamper half gallon Oldest price, 1980$1.75September 2026: $5.93
- up 2.9% from a year earlier Yogurtper 8 oz Oldest price, 2018$1.06September 2026: $1.58
- up 7.4% from a year earlier Ground beefper lb Oldest price, 1984$1.29September 2026: $6.79
- up 3.4% from a year earlier Lean ground beefper lb Oldest price, 1991$2.18September 2026: $8.46
- up 2.5% from a year earlier Ground chuckper lb Oldest price, 1980$1.82September 2026: $6.48
- up 0.1% from a year earlier Whole chickenper lb Oldest price, 198069.9¢September 2026: $2.06
- up 0.7% from a year earlier Chicken breastper lb Oldest price, 2006$3.31September 2026: $4.20
- down 3.2% from a year earlier Chicken legsper lb Oldest price, 1980$1.06September 2026: $1.74
- down 7.3% from a year earlier Baconper lb Oldest price, 1980$1.45September 2026: $6.76
- down 4.2% from a year earlier Pork chopsper lb Oldest price, 1995$4.21September 2026: $4.55
- down 0.5% from a year earlier Hamper lb Oldest price, 1991$3.10September 2026: $5.45
- down 0.2% from a year earlier Sirloin steakper lb Oldest price, 1989$3.85September 2026: $14.11
- up 5.1% from a year earlier Round steakper lb Oldest price, 1980$2.72September 2026: $9.84
- down 0.5% from a year earlier Chuck roastper lb Oldest price, 1989$2.29September 2026: $9.19
- down 1.7% from a year earlier Beef stew meatper lb Oldest price, 1991$2.59September 2026: $8.53
- down 2.1% from a year earlier Bananasper lb Oldest price, 198031.9¢September 2026: 65.6¢
- down 4.4% from a year earlier Orangesper lb Oldest price, 198033.9¢September 2026: $1.72
- up 2.5% from a year earlier Lemonsper lb Oldest price, 198067.9¢September 2026: $2.13
- down 4.4% from a year earlier Grapefruitper lb Oldest price, 198032.7¢September 2026: $1.62
- up 10.4% from a year earlier Strawberriesper 12 oz (dry pint) Oldest price, 198065.3¢September 2026: $2.84
- down 2.5% from a year earlier Potatoesper lb Oldest price, 198620.7¢September 2026: 98.9¢
- up 4.3% from a year earlier Tomatoesper lb Oldest price, 198070.3¢September 2026: $1.99
- down 5.5% from a year earlier Iceberg lettuceper lb Oldest price, 198035.4¢September 2026: $1.64
- new Romaine lettuceper lb Oldest price, 2006$1.34September 2026: $3.31
- down 2.0% from a year earlier White breadper lb Oldest price, 198050.1¢September 2026: $1.83
- up 8.1% from a year earlier Whole wheat breadper lb Oldest price, 198071.5¢May 2026: $2.81May 2026
- down 3.2% from a year earlier Flourper lb Oldest price, 198020.3¢September 2026: 54.5¢
- down 2.2% from a year earlier Sugarper lb Oldest price, 198027.3¢September 2026: $1.02
- up 5.5% from a year earlier Riceper lb Oldest price, 198048.4¢September 2026: $1.12
- up 14.1% from a year earlier Pastaper lb Oldest price, 198472.7¢September 2026: $1.38
- up 2.1% from a year earlier Coffeeper lb Oldest price, 1980$3.21September 2026: $9.33
- unchanged 0.0% from a year earlier Cookiesper lb Oldest price, 1980$1.49September 2026: $5.15
- down 4.3% from a year earlier Potato chipsper 16 oz Oldest price, 1980$1.98September 2026: $6.67
- up 2.5% from a year earlier Dried beansper lb Oldest price, 199569.0¢September 2026: $1.67
- up 3.8% from a year earlier Orange juiceper 16 oz Oldest price, 1980$1.24July 2026: $4.82Jul 2026
- up 1.7% from a year earlier 2-liter sodaper 2 liters Oldest price, 2018$1.44September 2026: $2.27
- up 3.9% from a year earlier Canned sodaper 12 oz can Oldest price, 201833.6¢September 2026: 59.1¢
- up 2.2% from a year earlier Beerper 16 oz Oldest price, 199580.4¢September 2026: $1.88
- down 1.4% from a year earlier Wineper liter Oldest price, 1995$4.67September 2026: $13.77
- up 34.2% from a year earlier Regular gasper gallon Oldest price, 197660.5¢September 2026: $4.48
- up 33.0% from a year earlier Gasolineper gallon Oldest price, 197863.1¢September 2026: $4.63
- up 30.4% from a year earlier Midgrade gasper gallon Oldest price, 1993$1.19September 2026: $4.96
- up 28.2% from a year earlier Premium gasper gallon Oldest price, 1981$1.47September 2026: $5.43
- up 69.7% from a year earlier Dieselper gallon Oldest price, 1998$1.25September 2026: $6.33
- up 4.3% from a year earlier Electricityper kWh Oldest price, 19784.6¢September 2026: 19.6¢
- up 5.4% from a year earlier Natural gasper therm Oldest price, 197830.4¢September 2026: $1.70
- up 64.9% from a year earlier Heating oilper gallon Oldest price, 197853.3¢September 2026: $5.92
Nothing matches that. Try another word, like milk, beef or gas, or browse all prices.
Are you overpaying?
Two monthly bills, checked against each company’s own price list in Oct 2026. The fine print sits next to every price.
19 phone plans checked
One line from $25 a month
The big three start at $45 with AutoPay, before taxes and fees. Prepaid brands on the same towers start at $25. Tell us what you pay and how much data you use.Check your phone bill 11 streaming and music servicesDisney+ and Hulu: $24.98 apart, $12.99 together
That bundle saves $11.99 a month. Tick what you pay for, and we’ll add it up and show cheaper ways to get the same shows.Add up your streamingThe same shopping bag, Jul 1995 and now
One of each: a dozen eggs, a gallon of whole milk, a pound each of white bread, ground beef, whole chicken, bananas and coffee, and a gallon of regular gas.
Jul 1995$12.17Sep 2026$31.53
Up 159% in dollars of the day. In Sep 2026 dollars, the Jul 1995 bag cost $26.89, so after inflation it is up 17%.
- Eggs per dozenJul 1995: 87.9¢Sep 2026: $2.27
- Whole milk per gallonJul 1995: $2.48Sep 2026: $4.11
- White bread per lbJul 1995: 78.9¢Sep 2026: $1.83
- Ground beef per lbJul 1995: $1.36Sep 2026: $6.79
- Whole chicken per lbJul 1995: 91.9¢Sep 2026: $2.06
- Bananas per lbJul 1995: 52.2¢Sep 2026: 65.6¢
- Coffee per lbJul 1995: $4.03Sep 2026: $9.33
- Regular gas per gallonJul 1995: $1.20Sep 2026: $4.48
Pay less at the register
34 store rules in plain words: price matching, refunds when a price drops after you buy, rain checks and standing discounts. Each links to the company’s own policy page.
- Price matching9 policiesTarget, Best Buy, Walmart, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples, Amazon, Kohl's, Walgreens
- Price adjustment after purchase4 policiesBest Buy, The Home Depot, Kohl's, Macy's
- Rain checks3 policiesKroger, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens
- Senior discounts3 policiesKohl's, Walgreens, Michaels
- Student discounts5 policiesSpotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Disney+ and Hulu, Peacock
- Military discounts2 policiesThe Home Depot, Lowe's
- Return windows5 policiesWalmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon, CVS Pharmacy
- Free shipping thresholds3 policiesWalmart, Target, Best Buy
Where the numbers come from
No estimates of our own, no paid placement and no affiliate links.
The official record
Grocery and energy prices are the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly U.S. city averages, the numbers behind the Consumer Price Index. Through September 2026.
Two kinds of dollars
Every chart has the price at the time and the same price in Sep 2026 dollars, adjusted with the CPI for all urban consumers, so “expensive” means something.
Fine print, by hand
Phone plans, streaming prices and store policies come only from each company’s own pages, with the month we checked beside the price. How we work