1995 vs 1997
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
$34,080
→
$37,010
+8.6%
Median Home
$133,475
→
$145,000
+8.6%
Housing Labor
3.9yr
→
3.9yr
1.0x harder
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1995 Price | 1997 Price | Change | Hours 1995 | Hours 1997 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.92 | $1.06 | +14% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.79 | $0.87 | +10% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Harder |
| 🥛 Milk | $2.48 | $2.61 | +5% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.15 | $1.23 | +8% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.37 | $1.40 | +2% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.92 | $1.00 | +9% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🥓 Bacon | $1.99 | $2.68 | +35% | 0.1h | 0.2h | Harder |
| ☕ Coffee | $4.04 | $4.11 | +2% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.65 | $2.92 | +10% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Harder |
| 🍬 Sugar | $4.57 | $5.17 | +13% | 0.3h | 0.3h | Harder |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.09 | +1% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,811 | $3,111 | +11% | 171.6h | 174.8h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $18,916 | $20,276 | +7% | 1154.5h | 1139.5h | Easier |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $497 | $525 | +6% | 30.3h | 29.5h | Easier |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $34.93 | $37.03 | +6% | 2.1h | 2.1h | Easier |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1995 to 1997, sorted by magnitude.
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1995 to 1997, sorted by magnitude.
⚡
Electricity
0.0h → 0.0h
0.9x
easier
☕
Coffee
0.2h → 0.2h
0.9x
easier
🥩
Ground Beef
0.1h → 0.1h
0.9x
easier
🥛
Milk
0.2h → 0.1h
1.0x
easier
🏠
Monthly Rent
30.3h → 29.5h
1.0x
easier
🏥
Doctor Visit
2.1h → 2.1h
1.0x
easier
🚗
New Car
1154.5h → 1139.5h
1.0x
easier
⛽
Gas
0.1h → 0.1h
1.0x
easier
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1995 ($34,080), you'd need $35,901 in 1997 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (152.4 → 160.5).