1991 vs 1996
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
+17.8%
Median Home
+16.9%
Housing Labor
1.0x easier
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1991 Price | 1996 Price | Change | Hours 1991 | Hours 1996 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.99 | $1.11 | +12% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.71 | $0.88 | +23% | 0.0h | 0.1h | Harder |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.14 | $1.23 | +8% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.60 | $1.37 | -14% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.88 | $0.97 | +10% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.22 | $2.47 | +11% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ☕ Coffee | $2.81 | $3.43 | +22% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Harder |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.58 | $2.86 | +11% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.09 | +9% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,107 | $2,975 | +41% | 145.5h | 174.4h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $16,362 | $19,828 | +21% | 1129.5h | 1162.1h | Harder |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $451 | $510 | +13% | 31.2h | 29.9h | Easier |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $34.74 | $37.05 | +7% | 2.4h | 2.2h | Easier |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1991 to 1996, sorted by magnitude.
145.5h → 174.4h
harder
0.0h → 0.1h
harder
0.2h → 0.2h
harder
1129.5h → 1162.1h
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1991 to 1996, sorted by magnitude.
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
2.4h → 2.2h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.0h → 0.0h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.2h → 0.2h
easier
0.2h → 0.1h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
31.2h → 29.9h
easier
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1991 ($30,130), you'd need $34,709 in 1996 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (136.2 → 156.9).