What things cost in 1985
In 1985, a dozen eggs averaged 80.4¢, a pound of white bread averaged 55.3¢ and a gallon of regular gas averaged $1.20. Here are 31 everyday prices from that year beside September 2026’s, plus each one in today’s dollars.
Yearly averages of BLS monthly pricesToday: September 2026
One dollarConsumer Price Index, all urban consumers
1985$1.00Sep 2026$3.13
It takes $3.13 in September 2026 to buy what $1 bought on average in 1985: prices overall are 3.13 times as high.
- Items priced in 1985
- 31Of the 53 on this site
- Cheaper now, after inflation
- 19Today’s price is below the old one in today’s dollars
- Dearer now, after inflation
- 12Rose faster than prices overall
- Prices overall
- 3.13×CPI-U, 1985 average to Sep 2026
Cheapest now, compared with 1985
The five items whose price rose least against everything else since 1985. Negative means today’s price takes less of today’s money.
| Item | 1985 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.08 | $1.74 | down 48.4% |
| Bananasper lb | 36.7¢ | 65.6¢ | down 43.0% |
| Spaghetti and macaroniper lb | 73.9¢ | $1.38 | down 40.6% |
| American processed cheeseper lb | $2.53 | $4.74 | down 40.3% |
| Cheddar cheeseper lb | $3.09 | $6.13 | down 36.7% |
Dearest now, compared with 1985
The five items whose price rose most against everything else since 1985.
| Item | 1985 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.24 | $6.79 | up 75.2% |
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon · 11 of 12 months | $1.08 | $5.92 | up 75.1% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.34 | $5.43 | up 29.3% |
| Gasoline, all typesper gallon | $1.20 | $4.63 | up 23.7% |
| Ground chuckper lb | $1.68 | $6.48 | up 23.3% |
Dairy & eggs in 1985
4 items| Item | 1985 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs, grade A largeper dozen | 80.4¢ | $2.52 | $2.27 | up 182.7% | down 9.7% |
| Cheddar cheeseper lb | $3.09 | $9.69 | $6.13 | up 98.3% | down 36.7% |
| American processed cheeseper lb | $2.53 | $7.93 | $4.74 | up 87.1% | down 40.3% |
| Ice creamper half gallon | $2.30 | $7.20 | $5.93 | up 158.0% | down 17.6% |
Meat in 1985
6 items| Item | 1985 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.24 | $3.88 | $6.79 | up 448.8% | up 75.2% |
| Ground chuckper lb | $1.68 | $5.26 | $6.48 | up 286.4% | up 23.3% |
| Chicken, wholeper lb | 76.3¢ | $2.39 | $2.06 | up 170.4% | down 13.7% |
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.08 | $3.37 | $1.74 | up 61.5% | down 48.4% |
| Bacon, slicedper lb | $1.94 | $6.08 | $6.76 | up 248.3% | up 11.2% |
| Round steak, bonelessper lb | $2.82 | $8.84 | $9.84 | up 248.6% | up 11.2% |
Produce in 1985
5 items| Item | 1985 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bananasper lb | 36.7¢ | $1.15 | 65.6¢ | up 78.8% | down 43.0% |
| Lemonsper lb | 92.9¢ | $2.90 | $2.13 | up 129.2% | down 26.7% |
| Grapefruitper lb | 47.0¢ | $1.47 | $1.62 | up 245.5% | up 10.3% |
| Tomatoes, field grownper lb | 77.8¢ | $2.44 | $1.99 | up 156.0% | down 18.3% |
| Lettuce, icebergper lb | 53.8¢ | $1.69 | $1.64 | up 203.9% | down 3.0% |
Pantry in 1985
9 items| Item | 1985 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread, whiteper lb | 55.3¢ | $1.73 | $1.83 | up 230.8% | up 5.6% |
| Bread, whole wheatper lb | 85.9¢ | $2.69 | $2.81May 2026 | up 227.5% | up 4.5% |
| Flour, white all-purposeper lb | 21.2¢ | 66.4¢ | 54.5¢ | up 157.2% | down 17.9% |
| Sugar, whiteper lb | 35.3¢ | $1.11 | $1.02 | up 188.3% | down 8.0% |
| Rice, white long grainper lb | 47.0¢ | $1.47 | $1.12 | up 138.0% | down 24.0% |
| Spaghetti and macaroniper lb | 73.9¢ | $2.32 | $1.38 | up 86.0% | down 40.6% |
| Coffee, ground roastper lb | $2.58 | $8.08 | $9.33 | up 261.6% | up 15.4% |
| Cookies, chocolate chipper lb | $1.94 | $6.08 | $5.15 | up 165.7% | down 15.2% |
| Potato chipsper 16 oz | $2.61 | $8.16 | $6.67 | up 155.9% | down 18.3% |
Drinks in 1985
1 items| Item | 1985 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange juice, frozen concentrateper 16 oz | $1.75 | $5.49 | $4.82Jul 2026 | up 174.7% | down 12.3% |
Energy in 1985
6 items| Item | 1985 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline, regular unleadedper gallon | $1.20 | $3.76 | $4.48 | up 273.0% | up 19.1% |
| Gasoline, all typesper gallon | $1.20 | $3.75 | $4.63 | up 287.3% | up 23.7% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.34 | $4.20 | $5.43 | up 305.1% | up 29.3% |
| Electricityper kWh · 11 of 12 months | 8.1¢ | 25.5¢ | 19.6¢ | up 141.2% | down 23.0% |
| Natural gas (piped utility gas)per therm · 11 of 12 months | 63.2¢ | $1.98 | $1.70 | up 169.1% | down 14.2% |
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon · 11 of 12 months | $1.08 | $3.38 | $5.92 | up 448.8% | up 75.1% |
How we got these numbers
- 1985 prices are the average of the monthly U.S. city average prices BLS published for that year. An item needs at least nine published months to appear.
- In Sep 2026 dollars restates each month’s price with CPI-U (336.94 in Sep 2026) and then averages the year, so “after inflation” compares like with like.
- One dollar. CPI-U for Sep 2026 divided by the 1985 average of CPI-U (107.6).
- Two items stop early. Whole wheat bread and orange juice: “now” is BLS’s newest month for them, shown under the price.
- Not listed for 1985: whole milk, reduced-fat milk, butter, yogurt, lean ground beef, chicken breast, pork chops, ham, sirloin steak, chuck roast, beef stew meat, oranges, strawberries, potatoes, romaine lettuce, dried beans, 2-liter soda, canned soda, beer, wine, midgrade gas, diesel. BLS did not price them for enough months that year.
Sources
- Average price data: what it is and how it is collectedU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Average price data filesdownload.bls.gov, files updated Oct 14, 2026
- CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items (CUUR0000SA0)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, monthly
Download CSV31 rows: item, unit, 1985 average, in Sep 2026 dollars, Sep 2026 price