1990 vs 1996
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
+18.5%
Median Home
+14.7%
Housing Labor
1.0x easier
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1990 Price | 1996 Price | Change | Hours 1990 | Hours 1996 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $1.01 | $1.11 | +9% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.69 | $0.88 | +26% | 0.0h | 0.1h | Harder |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.16 | $1.23 | +6% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.59 | $1.37 | -14% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.90 | $0.97 | +8% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.12 | $2.47 | +16% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ☕ Coffee | $2.97 | $3.43 | +16% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.60 | $2.86 | +10% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.08 | $0.09 | +13% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $1,908 | $2,975 | +56% | 132.6h | 174.4h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $15,472 | $19,828 | +28% | 1074.9h | 1162.1h | Harder |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $436 | $510 | +17% | 30.3h | 29.9h | Easier |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $35.30 | $37.05 | +5% | 2.5h | 2.2h | Easier |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1990 to 1996, sorted by magnitude.
132.6h → 174.4h
harder
1074.9h → 1162.1h
harder
0.0h → 0.1h
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1990 to 1996, sorted by magnitude.
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
2.5h → 2.2h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.2h → 0.2h
easier
0.0h → 0.0h
easier
0.2h → 0.2h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
30.3h → 29.9h
easier
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1990 ($29,940), you'd need $35,944 in 1996 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (130.7 → 156.9).