What things cost in 1991
In 1991, a dozen eggs averaged 98.9¢, a pound of white bread averaged 71.0¢ and a gallon of regular gas averaged $1.14. Here are 38 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
1991$1.00Sep 2026$2.47
It takes $2.47 in September 2026 to buy what $1 bought on average in 1991: prices overall are 2.47 times as high.
- Items priced in 1991
- 38Of the 53 on this site
- Cheaper now, after inflation
- 17Today’s price is below the old one in today’s dollars
- Dearer now, after inflation
- 21Rose faster than prices overall
- Prices overall
- 2.47×CPI-U, 1991 average to Sep 2026
Cheapest now, compared with 1991
The five items whose price rose least against everything else since 1991. Negative means today’s price takes less of today’s money.
| Item | 1991 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bananasper lb | 48.1¢ | 65.6¢ | down 44.9% |
| American processed cheeseper lb | $3.44 | $4.74 | down 44.3% |
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.15 | $1.74 | down 39.1% |
| Spaghetti and macaroniper lb | 86.8¢ | $1.38 | down 36.0% |
| Cheddar cheeseper lb | $3.55 | $6.13 | down 30.2% |
Dearest now, compared with 1991
The five items whose price rose most against everything else since 1991.
| Item | 1991 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon | $1.02 | $5.92 | up 135.0% |
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.60 | $6.79 | up 72.1% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.32 | $5.43 | up 66.0% |
| Gasoline, regular unleadedper gallon | $1.14 | $4.48 | up 58.9% |
| Ground beef, lean and extra leanper lb | $2.16 | $8.46 | up 58.3% |
Dairy & eggs in 1991
4 items| Item | 1991 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs, grade A largeper dozen | 98.9¢ | $2.45 | $2.27 | up 129.7% | down 7.2% |
| Cheddar cheeseper lb | $3.55 | $8.79 | $6.13 | up 72.7% | down 30.2% |
| American processed cheeseper lb | $3.44 | $8.50 | $4.74 | up 37.9% | down 44.3% |
| Ice creamper half gallon | $2.58 | $6.38 | $5.93 | up 130.1% | down 7.0% |
Meat in 1991
11 items| Item | 1991 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.60 | $3.95 | $6.79 | up 325.8% | up 72.1% |
| Ground beef, lean and extra leanper lb | $2.16 | $5.35 | $8.46 | up 291.6% | up 58.3% |
| Ground chuckper lb | $1.97 | $4.87 | $6.48 | up 229.4% | up 33.1% |
| Chicken, wholeper lb | 88.0¢ | $2.18 | $2.06 | up 134.5% | down 5.2% |
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.15 | $2.86 | $1.74 | up 50.6% | down 39.1% |
| Bacon, slicedper lb | $2.22 | $5.49 | $6.76 | up 204.4% | up 23.0% |
| Ham, bonelessper lb | $2.91 | $7.19 | $5.45 | up 87.6% | down 24.2% |
| Sirloin steak, bonelessper lb | $4.29 | $10.62 | $14.11 | up 228.8% | up 32.9% |
| Round steak, bonelessper lb | $3.41 | $8.43 | $9.84 | up 188.7% | up 16.7% |
| Chuck roast, bonelessper lb | $2.56 | $6.33 | $9.19 | up 258.9% | up 45.0% |
| Beef for stew, bonelessper lb | $2.59 | $6.42 | $8.53 | up 229.0% | up 33.0% |
Produce in 1991
7 items| Item | 1991 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bananasper lb | 48.1¢ | $1.19 | 65.6¢ | up 36.4% | down 44.9% |
| Lemonsper lb | $1.23 | $3.04 | $2.13 | up 73.4% | down 29.9% |
| Grapefruitper lb | 61.8¢ | $1.53 | $1.62 | up 162.6% | up 6.1% |
| Strawberriesper 12 oz (dry pint) · 9 of 12 months | $1.08 | $2.67 | $2.84 | up 163.4% | up 6.2% |
| Potatoes, whiteper lb | 33.0¢ | 81.6¢ | 98.9¢ | up 199.9% | up 21.2% |
| Tomatoes, field grownper lb | $1.01 | $2.49 | $1.99 | up 97.9% | down 20.1% |
| Lettuce, icebergper lb | 60.5¢ | $1.50 | $1.64 | up 170.6% | up 9.4% |
Pantry in 1991
9 items| Item | 1991 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread, whiteper lb | 71.0¢ | $1.76 | $1.83 | up 157.8% | up 4.2% |
| Bread, whole wheatper lb | $1.07 | $2.64 | $2.81May 2026 | up 163.3% | up 6.4% |
| Flour, white all-purposeper lb | 23.4¢ | 57.8¢ | 54.5¢ | up 133.3% | down 5.7% |
| Sugar, whiteper lb | 42.8¢ | $1.06 | $1.02 | up 138.1% | down 3.8% |
| Rice, white long grainper lb | 50.3¢ | $1.24 | $1.12 | up 122.4% | down 10.1% |
| Spaghetti and macaroniper lb | 86.8¢ | $2.15 | $1.38 | up 58.4% | down 36.0% |
| Coffee, ground roastper lb | $2.81 | $6.95 | $9.33 | up 232.3% | up 34.2% |
| Cookies, chocolate chipper lb | $2.69 | $6.66 | $5.15 | up 91.3% | down 22.7% |
| Potato chipsper 16 oz | $2.96 | $7.33 | $6.67 | up 125.0% | down 9.1% |
Drinks in 1991
1 items| Item | 1991 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange juice, frozen concentrateper 16 oz | $1.84 | $4.55 | $4.82Jul 2026 | up 161.9% | up 5.8% |
Energy in 1991
6 items| Item | 1991 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline, regular unleadedper gallon | $1.14 | $2.82 | $4.48 | up 293.1% | up 58.9% |
| Gasoline, all typesper gallon | $1.20 | $2.96 | $4.63 | up 287.1% | up 56.4% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.32 | $3.27 | $5.43 | up 310.7% | up 66.0% |
| Electricityper kWh | 8.7¢ | 21.4¢ | 19.6¢ | up 126.2% | down 8.5% |
| Natural gas (piped utility gas)per therm | 59.7¢ | $1.48 | $1.70 | up 184.7% | up 15.1% |
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon | $1.02 | $2.52 | $5.92 | up 481.6% | up 135.0% |
How we got these numbers
- 1991 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 1991 average of CPI-U (136.2).
- 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 1991: whole milk, reduced-fat milk, butter, yogurt, chicken breast, pork chops, oranges, 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 CSV38 rows: item, unit, 1991 average, in Sep 2026 dollars, Sep 2026 price