1995 vs 2017
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
$34,080
→
$61,140
+79.4%
Median Home
$133,475
→
$322,425
+141.6%
Housing Labor
3.9yr
→
5.3yr
1.3x harder
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1995 Price | 2017 Price | Change | Hours 1995 | Hours 2017 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $0.92 | $1.47 | +59% | 0.1h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.79 | $1.33 | +68% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🥛 Milk | $2.48 | $3.23 | +30% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.15 | $2.41 | +110% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.37 | $3.64 | +166% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.92 | $1.47 | +61% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $1.99 | $5.77 | +191% | 0.1h | 0.2h | Harder |
| ☕ Coffee | $4.04 | $4.45 | +10% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.65 | $4.69 | +77% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍬 Sugar | $4.57 | $12.66 | +177% | 0.3h | 0.4h | Harder |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.14 | +47% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,811 | $9,037 | +221% | 171.6h | 307.4h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $18,916 | $36,113 | +91% | 1154.5h | 1228.6h | Harder |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $497 | $971 | +95% | 30.3h | 33.0h | Harder |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $34.93 | $74.24 | +113% | 2.1h | 2.5h | Harder |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1995 to 2017, sorted by magnitude.
🎓
College Tuition
171.6h → 307.4h
1.8x
harder
🥓
Bacon
0.1h → 0.2h
1.6x
harder
🍬
Sugar
0.3h → 0.4h
1.5x
harder
🥩
Ground Beef
0.1h → 0.1h
1.5x
harder
🏥
Doctor Visit
2.1h → 2.5h
1.2x
harder
⛽
Gas
0.1h → 0.1h
1.2x
harder
🏠
Monthly Rent
30.3h → 33.0h
1.1x
harder
🚗
New Car
1154.5h → 1228.6h
1.1x
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1995 to 2017, sorted by magnitude.
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1995 ($34,080), you'd need $54,820 in 2017 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (152.4 → 245.1).