1996 vs 2006
The Cost of Living Comparison
Median Income
$35,490
→
$48,200
+35.8%
Median Home
$140,250
→
$243,750
+73.8%
Housing Labor
4.0yr
→
5.1yr
1.3x harder
📊 Full Item Comparison
| Item | 1996 Price | 2006 Price | Change | Hours 1996 | Hours 2006 | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥚 Eggs | $1.11 | $1.31 | +18% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍞 Bread | $0.88 | $1.08 | +23% | 0.1h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🥛 Milk | $2.62 | $3.08 | +17% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| ⛽ Gas | $1.23 | $2.59 | +110% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🥩 Ground Beef | $1.37 | $2.22 | +62% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| 🐔 Chicken | $0.97 | $1.05 | +8% | 0.1h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🥓 Bacon | $2.47 | $3.44 | +39% | 0.1h | 0.1h | Harder |
| ☕ Coffee | $3.43 | $3.20 | -7% | 0.2h | 0.1h | Easier |
| 🍊 Oranges | $2.86 | $3.75 | +31% | 0.2h | 0.2h | Easier |
| 🍬 Sugar | $4.93 | $7.90 | +60% | 0.3h | 0.3h | Harder |
| ⚡ Electricity | $0.09 | $0.11 | +19% | 0.0h | 0.0h | Easier |
| 🎓 College Tuition | $2,975 | $5,666 | +90% | 174.4h | 244.5h | Harder |
| 🚗 New Car | $19,828 | $25,950 | +31% | 1162.1h | 1119.8h | Easier |
| 🏠 Monthly Rent | $510 | $709 | +39% | 29.9h | 30.6h | Harder |
| 🏥 Doctor Visit | $37.05 | $76.82 | +107% | 2.2h | 3.3h | Harder |
📈 Got Harder to Earn
Items where labor hours increased from 1996 to 2006, sorted by magnitude.
⛽
Gas
0.1h → 0.1h
1.5x
harder
🏥
Doctor Visit
2.2h → 3.3h
1.5x
harder
🎓
College Tuition
174.4h → 244.5h
1.4x
harder
🥩
Ground Beef
0.1h → 0.1h
1.2x
harder
🍬
Sugar
0.3h → 0.3h
1.2x
harder
🥓
Bacon
0.1h → 0.1h
1.0x
harder
🏠
Monthly Rent
29.9h → 30.6h
1.0x
harder
📉 Got Easier to Earn
Items where labor hours decreased from 1996 to 2006, sorted by magnitude.
💵 Purchasing Power
If you earned the median income in 1996 ($35,490), you'd need $45,604 in 2006 to maintain the same lifestyle.
Based on CPI adjustment (156.9 → 201.6).