1991 vs 2002
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
+40.8%
Median Home
+55.1%
Housing Labor
1.1x harder
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1991 Price | 2002 Price | Change | Hours 1991 | Hours 2002 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.99 | $1.03 | +4% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.71 | $1.02 | +43% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Harder |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.14 | $1.36 | +19% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.60 | $1.71 | +7% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.88 | $1.07 | +22% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.22 | $3.24 | +46% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Harder |
| ☕ Coffee | $2.81 | $2.92 | +4% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.58 | $3.73 | +45% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Harder |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.09 | +5% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,107 | $4,081 | +94% | 145.5h | 200.2h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $16,362 | $22,871 | +40% | 1129.5h | 1121.7h | Easier |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $451 | $629 | +39% | 31.2h | 30.8h | Easier |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $34.74 | $40.59 | +17% | 2.4h | 2.0h | Easier |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1991 to 2002, sorted by magnitude.
145.5h → 200.2h
harder
0.2h → 0.2h
harder
0.2h → 0.2h
harder
0.0h → 0.0h
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1991 to 2002, sorted by magnitude.
0.2h → 0.1h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.0h → 0.0h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
2.4h → 2.0h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
31.2h → 30.8h
easier
1129.5h → 1121.7h
easier
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1991 ($30,130), you'd need $39,800 in 2002 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (136.2 → 179.9).