1986 vs 1993
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
$24,900
→
$31,240
+25.5%
Median Home
$92,025
→
$126,500
+37.5%
Housing Labor
3.7yr
→
4.0yr
1.1x harder
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1986 Price | 1993 Price | Change | Hours 1986 | Hours 1993 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.87 | $0.91 | +5% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.56 | $0.75 | +33% | 0.0h | 0.1h | Harder |
| ⛽ Gas | $0.93 | $1.11 | +19% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.23 | $1.57 | +27% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.83 | $0.89 | +7% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.08 | $1.93 | -7% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ☕ Coffee | $3.43 | $2.47 | -28% | 0.3h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.36 | $2.53 | +7% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.08 | $0.09 | +20% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $1,414 | $2,537 | +79% | 118.1h | 168.9h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $12,319 | $17,677 | +43% | 1029.1h | 1177.0h | Harder |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $373 | $474 | +27% | 31.1h | 31.5h | Harder |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $26.99 | $34.24 | +27% | 2.3h | 2.3h | Harder |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1986 to 1993, sorted by magnitude.
🎓
College Tuition
118.1h → 168.9h
1.4x
harder
🚗
New Car
1029.1h → 1177.0h
1.1x
harder
🍞
Bread
0.0h → 0.1h
1.1x
harder
🥩
Ground Beef
0.1h → 0.1h
1.0x
harder
🏠
Monthly Rent
31.1h → 31.5h
1.0x
harder
🏥
Doctor Visit
2.3h → 2.3h
1.0x
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1986 to 1993, sorted by magnitude.
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1986 ($24,900), you'd need $32,796 in 1993 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (109.7 → 144.5).