1994 vs 1997
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
+14.7%
Median Home
+11.2%
Housing Labor
1.0x easier
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1994 Price | 1997 Price | Change | Hours 1994 | Hours 1997 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.86 | $1.06 | +23% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.76 | $0.87 | +15% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.11 | $1.23 | +11% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.48 | $1.40 | -5% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.90 | $1.00 | +11% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $1.99 | $2.68 | +35% | 0.1h | 0.2h | Harder |
| ☕ Coffee | $3.40 | $4.11 | +21% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Harder |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.63 | $2.92 | +11% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.09 | +3% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,681 | $3,111 | +16% | 172.9h | 174.8h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $18,657 | $20,276 | +9% | 1202.9h | 1139.5h | Easier |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $485 | $525 | +8% | 31.3h | 29.5h | Easier |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $34.37 | $37.03 | +8% | 2.2h | 2.1h | Easier |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1994 to 1997, sorted by magnitude.
0.1h → 0.2h
harder
0.1h → 0.1h
harder
0.2h → 0.2h
harder
172.9h → 174.8h
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1994 to 1997, sorted by magnitude.
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.0h → 0.0h
easier
2.2h → 2.1h
easier
31.3h → 29.5h
easier
1202.9h → 1139.5h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.2h → 0.2h
easier
0.1h → 0.1h
easier
0.0h → 0.0h
easier
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1994 ($32,260), you'd need $34,937 in 1997 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (148.2 → 160.5).