What things cost in 1996
In 1996, a dozen eggs averaged $1.11, a gallon of whole milk averaged $2.62 and a pound of white bread averaged 87.6¢. Here are 44 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
1996$1.00Sep 2026$2.15
It takes $2.15 in September 2026 to buy what $1 bought on average in 1996: prices overall are 2.15 times as high.
- Items priced in 1996
- 44Of the 53 on this site
- Cheaper now, after inflation
- 18Today’s price is below the old one in today’s dollars
- Dearer now, after inflation
- 26Rose faster than prices overall
- Prices overall
- 2.15×CPI-U, 1996 average to Sep 2026
The same shopping bag, 1996 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.
1996$12.10Sep 2026$31.53
Up 161% in dollars of the day. In Sep 2026 dollars the 1996 bag cost $25.99, so after inflation it is up 21%.
- Eggs per dozen1996: $1.11Sep 2026: $2.27
- Whole milk per gallon1996: $2.62Sep 2026: $4.11
- White bread per lb1996: 87.6¢Sep 2026: $1.83
- Ground beef per lb1996: $1.37Sep 2026: $6.79
- Whole chicken per lb1996: 97.3¢Sep 2026: $2.06
- Bananas per lb1996: 49.0¢Sep 2026: 65.6¢
- Coffee per lb1996: $3.43Sep 2026: $9.33
- Regular gas per gallon1996: $1.23Sep 2026: $4.48
Cheapest now, compared with 1996
The five items whose price rose least against everything else since 1996. Negative means today’s price takes less of today’s money.
| Item | 1996 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pork chopsper lb | $4.22 | $4.55 | down 49.8% |
| Bananasper lb | 49.0¢ | 65.6¢ | down 37.6% |
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.24 | $1.74 | down 34.7% |
| American processed cheeseper lb | $3.34 | $4.74 | down 33.9% |
| Milk, wholeper gallon | $2.62 | $4.11 | down 27.1% |
Dearest now, compared with 1996
The five items whose price rose most against everything else since 1996.
| Item | 1996 average | Sep 2026 | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon | $1.02 | $5.92 | up 170.5% |
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.37 | $6.79 | up 131.0% |
| Ground beef, lean and extra leanper lb | $2.04 | $8.46 | up 93.2% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.41 | $5.43 | up 78.7% |
| Chuck roast, bonelessper lb | $2.42 | $9.19 | up 76.4% |
Dairy & eggs in 1996
5 items| Item | 1996 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs, grade A largeper dozen | $1.11 | $2.38 | $2.27 | up 105.4% | down 4.4% |
| Milk, wholeper gallon | $2.62 | $5.63 | $4.11 | up 56.5% | down 27.1% |
| Cheddar cheeseper lb | $3.25 | $6.98 | $6.13 | up 88.8% | down 12.1% |
| American processed cheeseper lb | $3.34 | $7.16 | $4.74 | up 42.0% | down 33.9% |
| Ice creamper half gallon | $2.86 | $6.14 | $5.93 | up 107.4% | down 3.4% |
Meat in 1996
12 items| Item | 1996 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef, 100% beefper lb | $1.37 | $2.94 | $6.79 | up 396.2% | up 131.0% |
| Ground beef, lean and extra leanper lb | $2.04 | $4.38 | $8.46 | up 315.0% | up 93.2% |
| Ground chuckper lb | $1.80 | $3.87 | $6.48 | up 259.9% | up 67.5% |
| Chicken, wholeper lb | 97.3¢ | $2.09 | $2.06 | up 112.2% | down 1.2% |
| Chicken legs, bone-inper lb | $1.24 | $2.66 | $1.74 | up 40.2% | down 34.7% |
| Bacon, slicedper lb | $2.47 | $5.31 | $6.76 | up 173.2% | up 27.3% |
| Pork chopsper lb | $4.22 | $9.06 | $4.55 | up 7.8% | down 49.8% |
| Ham, bonelessper lb | $2.70 | $5.81 | $5.45 | up 101.6% | down 6.1% |
| Sirloin steak, bonelessper lb | $4.21 | $9.04 | $14.11 | up 235.1% | up 56.0% |
| Round steak, bonelessper lb | $3.12 | $6.70 | $9.84 | up 215.4% | up 46.8% |
| Chuck roast, bonelessper lb | $2.42 | $5.21 | $9.19 | up 279.0% | up 76.4% |
| Beef for stew, bonelessper lb | $2.50 | $5.37 | $8.53 | up 241.4% | up 58.9% |
Produce in 1996
7 items| Item | 1996 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bananasper lb | 49.0¢ | $1.05 | 65.6¢ | up 34.0% | down 37.6% |
| Lemonsper lb | $1.11 | $2.39 | $2.13 | up 91.0% | down 11.0% |
| Grapefruitper lb | 57.4¢ | $1.23 | $1.62 | up 183.0% | up 31.9% |
| Strawberriesper 12 oz (dry pint) · 10 of 12 months | $1.29 | $2.79 | $2.84 | up 119.5% | up 1.9% |
| Potatoes, whiteper lb | 38.1¢ | 81.9¢ | 98.9¢ | up 159.6% | up 20.8% |
| Tomatoes, field grownper lb | $1.21 | $2.60 | $1.99 | up 64.6% | down 23.4% |
| Lettuce, icebergper lb | 64.8¢ | $1.39 | $1.64 | up 152.6% | up 17.6% |
Pantry in 1996
10 items| Item | 1996 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bread, whiteper lb | 87.6¢ | $1.88 | $1.83 | up 109.0% | down 2.7% |
| Bread, whole wheatper lb | $1.25 | $2.69 | $2.81May 2026 | up 124.6% | up 4.6% |
| Flour, white all-purposeper lb | 28.8¢ | 61.8¢ | 54.5¢ | up 89.5% | down 11.8% |
| Sugar, whiteper lb | 41.8¢ | 89.8¢ | $1.02 | up 143.8% | up 13.5% |
| Rice, white long grainper lb | 54.6¢ | $1.17 | $1.12 | up 104.7% | down 4.7% |
| Spaghetti and macaroniper lb | 86.5¢ | $1.86 | $1.38 | up 59.0% | down 26.0% |
| Coffee, ground roastper lb | $3.43 | $7.37 | $9.33 | up 172.1% | up 26.6% |
| Cookies, chocolate chipper lb | $2.58 | $5.54 | $5.15 | up 99.8% | down 7.0% |
| Potato chipsper 16 oz | $3.06 | $6.57 | $6.67 | up 118.1% | up 1.6% |
| Dried beansper lb | 69.4¢ | $1.49 | $1.67 | up 140.4% | up 11.9% |
Drinks in 1996
3 items| Item | 1996 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange juice, frozen concentrateper 16 oz | $1.70 | $3.66 | $4.82Jul 2026 | up 182.9% | up 31.7% |
| Beer (malt beverages)per 16 oz | 83.6¢ | $1.80 | $1.88 | up 124.3% | up 4.4% |
| Wine, red and white tableper liter | $4.93 | $10.58 | $13.77 | up 179.5% | up 30.1% |
Energy in 1996
7 items| Item | 1996 average | In Sep 2026 $ | Sep 2026 | Now vs then | After inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline, regular unleadedper gallon | $1.23 | $2.64 | $4.48 | up 264.1% | up 69.5% |
| Gasoline, all typesper gallon | $1.29 | $2.77 | $4.63 | up 259.6% | up 67.4% |
| Gasoline, midgrade unleadedper gallon | $1.32 | $2.84 | $4.96 | up 274.6% | up 74.4% |
| Gasoline, premium unleadedper gallon | $1.41 | $3.04 | $5.43 | up 283.9% | up 78.7% |
| Electricityper kWh | 9.4¢ | 20.2¢ | 19.6¢ | up 108.1% | down 3.0% |
| Natural gas (piped utility gas)per therm | 64.6¢ | $1.39 | $1.70 | up 163.2% | up 22.5% |
| Heating oil (fuel oil #2)per gallon | $1.02 | $2.19 | $5.92 | up 481.1% | up 170.5% |
How we got these numbers
- 1996 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 1996 average of CPI-U (156.8).
- 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 1996: reduced-fat milk, butter, yogurt, chicken breast, oranges, romaine lettuce, 2-liter soda, canned soda, 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 CSV44 rows: item, unit, 1996 average, in Sep 2026 dollars, Sep 2026 price