1996 vs 2003
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
$35,490
→
$43,320
+22.1%
Median Home
$140,250
→
$192,125
+37.0%
Housing Labor
4.0yr
→
4.4yr
1.1x harder
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1996 Price | 2003 Price | Change | Hours 1996 | Hours 2003 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $1.11 | $1.24 | +12% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.88 | $1.00 | +14% | 0.1h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🥛 Milk | $2.62 | $2.76 | +5% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.23 | $1.59 | +29% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.37 | $1.95 | +42% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.97 | $1.03 | +6% | 0.1h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.47 | $3.20 | +29% | 0.1h | 0.2h | Harder |
| ☕ Coffee | $3.43 | $2.92 | -15% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.86 | $3.81 | +33% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Harder |
| 🍬 Sugar | $4.93 | $6.39 | +30% | 0.3h | 0.3h | Harder |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.09 | -1% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,975 | $4,587 | +54% | 174.4h | 220.2h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $19,828 | $23,282 | +17% | 1162.1h | 1117.9h | Easier |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $510 | $647 | +27% | 29.9h | 31.1h | Harder |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $37.05 | $47.43 | +28% | 2.2h | 2.3h | Harder |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1996 to 2003, sorted by magnitude.
🎓
College Tuition
174.4h → 220.2h
1.3x
harder
🥩
Ground Beef
0.1h → 0.1h
1.2x
harder
🍊
Oranges
0.2h → 0.2h
1.1x
harder
🍬
Sugar
0.3h → 0.3h
1.1x
harder
🥓
Bacon
0.1h → 0.2h
1.1x
harder
⛽
Gas
0.1h → 0.1h
1.1x
harder
🏥
Doctor Visit
2.2h → 2.3h
1.0x
harder
🏠
Monthly Rent
29.9h → 31.1h
1.0x
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1996 to 2003, sorted by magnitude.
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1996 ($35,490), you'd need $41,631 in 2003 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (156.9 → 184.0).