What things cost in 1992
In 1992, a dozen eggs averaged 86.0¢, a pound of white bread averaged 75.0¢ and a gallon of regular gas averaged $1.13. 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
1992$1.00Sep 2026$2.40
It takes $2.40 in September 2026 to buy what $1 bought on average in 1992: prices overall are 2.40 times as high.
- Items priced in 1992
- 38Of the 53 on this site
- Cheaper now, after inflation
- 15Today’s price is below the old one in today’s dollars
- Dearer now, after inflation
- 23Rose faster than prices overall
- Prices overall
- 2.40×CPI-U, 1992 average to Sep 2026
Cheapest now, compared with 1992
The five items whose price rose least against everything else since 1992. Negative means today’s price takes less of today’s money.
| Item | 1992 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| American processed cheeseper lb | $3.32 | $4.74 | down 40.6% |
| Bananasper lb | 45.8¢ | 65.6¢ | down 40.4% |
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.12 | $1.74 | down 35.3% |
| Spaghetti and macaroniper lb | 85.8¢ | $1.38 | down 33.2% |
| Cheddar cheeseper lb | $3.57 | $6.13 | down 28.5% |
Dearest now, compared with 1992
The five items whose price rose most against everything else since 1992.
| Item | 1992 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon | 96.1¢ | $5.92 | up 156.6% |
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.54 | $6.79 | up 83.5% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.32 | $5.43 | up 71.7% |
| Gasoline, regular unleadedper gallon | $1.13 | $4.48 | up 65.7% |
| Ground beef, lean and extra leanper lb | $2.15 | $8.46 | up 63.5% |
Dairy & eggs in 1992
4 items| Item | 1992 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs, grade A largeper dozen | 86.0¢ | $2.07 | $2.27 | up 164.1% | up 10.0% |
| Cheddar cheeseper lb | $3.57 | $8.57 | $6.13 | up 71.8% | down 28.5% |
| American processed cheeseper lb | $3.32 | $7.97 | $4.74 | up 42.8% | down 40.6% |
| Ice creamper half gallon | $2.58 | $6.20 | $5.93 | up 129.6% | down 4.4% |
Meat in 1992
11 items| Item | 1992 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.54 | $3.70 | $6.79 | up 340.6% | up 83.5% |
| Ground beef, lean and extra leanper lb | $2.15 | $5.18 | $8.46 | up 292.7% | up 63.5% |
| Ground chuckper lb | $1.91 | $4.60 | $6.48 | up 238.8% | up 41.1% |
| Chicken, wholeper lb | 86.9¢ | $2.09 | $2.06 | up 137.4% | down 1.1% |
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.12 | $2.69 | $1.74 | up 55.3% | down 35.3% |
| Bacon, slicedper lb | $1.92 | $4.60 | $6.76 | up 252.7% | up 46.9% |
| Ham, bonelessper lb | $2.75 | $6.60 | $5.45 | up 98.3% | down 17.4% |
| Sirloin steak, bonelessper lb | $4.22 | $10.14 | $14.11 | up 234.0% | up 39.1% |
| Round steak, bonelessper lb | $3.38 | $8.13 | $9.84 | up 190.7% | up 21.0% |
| Chuck roast, bonelessper lb | $2.50 | $6.01 | $9.19 | up 267.0% | up 52.8% |
| Beef for stew, bonelessper lb | $2.58 | $6.19 | $8.53 | up 231.2% | up 37.9% |
Produce in 1992
7 items| Item | 1992 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bananasper lb | 45.8¢ | $1.10 | 65.6¢ | up 43.2% | down 40.4% |
| Lemonsper lb | $1.01 | $2.42 | $2.13 | up 111.5% | down 11.9% |
| Grapefruitper lb | 60.7¢ | $1.46 | $1.62 | up 167.4% | up 11.4% |
| Strawberriesper 12 oz (dry pint) · 9 of 12 months | $1.14 | $2.74 | $2.84 | up 148.7% | up 3.5% |
| Potatoes, whiteper lb | 30.4¢ | 73.1¢ | 98.9¢ | up 224.8% | up 35.3% |
| Tomatoes, field grownper lb | $1.09 | $2.63 | $1.99 | up 82.0% | down 24.2% |
| Lettuce, icebergper lb | 57.7¢ | $1.38 | $1.64 | up 183.7% | up 18.2% |
Pantry in 1992
9 items| Item | 1992 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread, whiteper lb | 75.0¢ | $1.80 | $1.83 | up 144.1% | up 1.6% |
| Bread, whole wheatper lb | $1.06 | $2.55 | $2.81May 2026 | up 165.1% | up 10.4% |
| Flour, white all-purposeper lb | 24.3¢ | 58.4¢ | 54.5¢ | up 124.3% | down 6.6% |
| Sugar, whiteper lb | 41.5¢ | 99.8¢ | $1.02 | up 145.3% | up 2.1% |
| Rice, white long grainper lb | 52.8¢ | $1.27 | $1.12 | up 111.8% | down 11.8% |
| Spaghetti and macaroniper lb | 85.8¢ | $2.06 | $1.38 | up 60.3% | down 33.2% |
| Coffee, ground roastper lb | $2.58 | $6.19 | $9.33 | up 262.1% | up 50.7% |
| Cookies, chocolate chipper lb | $2.77 | $6.66 | $5.15 | up 85.9% | down 22.6% |
| Potato chipsper 16 oz | $2.90 | $6.96 | $6.67 | up 130.0% | down 4.2% |
Drinks in 1992
1 items| Item | 1992 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange juice, frozen concentrateper 16 oz | $1.89 | $4.53 | $4.82Jul 2026 | up 155.1% | up 6.2% |
Energy in 1992
6 items| Item | 1992 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline, regular unleadedper gallon | $1.13 | $2.70 | $4.48 | up 297.9% | up 65.7% |
| Gasoline, all typesper gallon | $1.19 | $2.86 | $4.63 | up 289.3% | up 62.1% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.32 | $3.16 | $5.43 | up 312.3% | up 71.7% |
| Electricityper kWh | 8.8¢ | 21.2¢ | 19.6¢ | up 122.5% | down 7.3% |
| Natural gas (piped utility gas)per therm | 59.6¢ | $1.43 | $1.70 | up 185.4% | up 18.9% |
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon | 96.1¢ | $2.31 | $5.92 | up 516.3% | up 156.6% |
How we got these numbers
- 1992 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 1992 average of CPI-U (140.3).
- 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 1992: 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, 1992 average, in Sep 2026 dollars, Sep 2026 price