1991 vs 1997
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
+22.8%
Median Home
+20.9%
Housing Labor
1.0x easier
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1991 Price | 1997 Price | Change | Hours 1991 | Hours 1997 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.99 | $1.06 | +7% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.71 | $0.87 | +23% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Harder |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.14 | $1.23 | +8% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.60 | $1.40 | -12% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.88 | $1.00 | +14% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.22 | $2.68 | +21% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| ☕ Coffee | $2.81 | $4.11 | +46% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Harder |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.58 | $2.92 | +13% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.09 | +9% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,107 | $3,111 | +48% | 145.5h | 174.8h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $16,362 | $20,276 | +24% | 1129.5h | 1139.5h | Harder |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $451 | $525 | +16% | 31.2h | 29.5h | Easier |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $34.74 | $37.03 | +7% | 2.4h | 2.1h | Easier |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1991 to 1997, sorted by magnitude.
145.5h → 174.8h
harder
0.2h → 0.2h
harder
1129.5h → 1139.5h
harder
0.0h → 0.0h
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1991 to 1997, sorted by magnitude.
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
2.4h → 2.1h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.0h → 0.0h
easier
0.2h → 0.2h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
31.2h → 29.5h
easier
0.2h → 0.2h
easier
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1991 ($30,130), you'd need $35,520 in 1997 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (136.2 → 160.5).