1987 vs 1992
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
$26,060
→
$30,640
+17.6%
Median Home
$104,700
→
$121,375
+15.9%
Housing Labor
4.0yr
→
4.0yr
1.0x easier
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1987 Price | 1992 Price | Change | Hours 1987 | Hours 1992 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.78 | $0.86 | +10% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.55 | $0.75 | +37% | 0.0h | 0.1h | Harder |
| ⛽ Gas | $0.95 | $1.13 | +19% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.31 | $1.54 | +18% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.78 | $0.87 | +11% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.14 | $1.92 | -11% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ☕ Coffee | $2.79 | $2.58 | -7% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.46 | $2.58 | +5% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.08 | $0.09 | +11% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $1,537 | $2,349 | +53% | 122.7h | 159.5h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $12,922 | $17,109 | +32% | 1031.4h | 1161.4h | Harder |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $388 | $463 | +19% | 31.0h | 31.4h | Harder |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $28.03 | $34.64 | +24% | 2.2h | 2.4h | Harder |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1987 to 1992, sorted by magnitude.
🎓
College Tuition
122.7h → 159.5h
1.3x
harder
🍞
Bread
0.0h → 0.1h
1.2x
harder
🚗
New Car
1031.4h → 1161.4h
1.1x
harder
🏥
Doctor Visit
2.2h → 2.4h
1.1x
harder
🏠
Monthly Rent
31.0h → 31.4h
1.0x
harder
⛽
Gas
0.1h → 0.1h
1.0x
harder
🥩
Ground Beef
0.1h → 0.1h
1.0x
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1987 to 1992, sorted by magnitude.
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1987 ($26,060), you'd need $32,182 in 1992 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (113.6 → 140.3).