What things cost in 1981
In 1981, a gallon of regular gas cost $1.38, a dozen large eggs $0.899 and a pound of white bread $0.525 on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices overall were 3.5 times higher by 2025, so $1.00 in 1981 bought about as much as $3.54 did in 2025.
By category
Energy: a gallon of regular gas $1.38, a gallon of heating oil $1.25 and a kilowatt-hour of electricity $0.069. Bread, grains and baking: a pound of white bread $0.525, a pound of whole wheat bread $0.776, a pound of all-purpose flour $0.224, a pound of white rice $0.563 and a pound of chocolate chip cookies $1.73. Meat and poultry in 1981: a pound of whole chicken $0.732, a pound of frozen whole turkey $0.978, a pound of sliced bacon $1.67, a pound of pork chops $2.13, a pound of hot dogs $1.77 and a pound of bologna $2.11. In eggs and dairy, a dozen large eggs cost $0.899 and a half gallon of ice cream cost $2.02. Fruit and vegetables: a pound of bananas $0.362, a pound of lemons $0.70, a pound of iceberg lettuce $0.487 and a pound of tomatoes $0.77. Pantry and snacks in 1981: a pound of white sugar $0.40 and 16 ounces of potato chips $2.28. In coffee, beer and wine, a pound of ground coffee cost $2.53.
What changed
Compared with 1980, the biggest increases were for a gallon of heating oil (up 24%), a kilowatt-hour of electricity (up 15%) and a pound of sliced bacon (up 14%), and the biggest decreases were for a pound of ground coffee (down 19%) and a pound of white sugar (down 6%).
Since 1981, 3 of these 23 items have risen faster than overall inflation, so they cost more today even after adjusting for it: a dozen large eggs, a pound of sliced bacon and a pound of white bread. The other 20 are cheaper in real terms than in 1981; the biggest real-terms drops were for a pound of bologna (55% lower), a pound of bananas (50% lower) and a pound of white rice (47% lower). Some of these series end before 2025; for those, the comparison uses the last year the Bureau published.
Every item in 1981
| Item | Price in 1981 | In 2025 dollars | Latest price | Real change to latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A gallon of regular gas | $1.38 | $4.89 | $3.26 (2025) | −33% |
| A gallon of heating oil | $1.25 | $4.43 | $3.62 (2025) | −18% |
| A kilowatt-hour of electricity | $0.069 | $0.244 | $0.185 (2025) | −24% |
| A pound of white bread | $0.525 | $1.86 | $1.87 (2025) | +1% |
| A pound of whole wheat bread | $0.776 | $2.75 | $2.70 (2025) | −2% |
| A pound of all-purpose flour | $0.224 | $0.793 | $0.56 (2025) | −29% |
| A pound of white rice | $0.563 | $1.99 | $1.05 (2025) | −47% |
| A pound of chocolate chip cookies | $1.73 | $6.13 | $5.05 (2025) | −18% |
| A pound of whole chicken | $0.732 | $2.59 | $2.06 (2025) | −21% |
| A pound of frozen whole turkey | $0.978 | $3.46 | $1.52 (2019) | −45% |
| A pound of sliced bacon | $1.67 | $5.91 | $7.02 (2025) | +19% |
| A pound of pork chops | $2.13 | $7.54 | $4.56 (2025) | −40% |
| A pound of hot dogs | $1.77 | $6.27 | $4.01 (2021) | −24% |
| A pound of bologna | $2.11 | $7.47 | $2.70 (2019) | −55% |
| A dozen large eggs | $0.899 | $3.18 | $4.25 (2025) | +33% |
| A half gallon of ice cream | $2.02 | $7.15 | $6.37 (2025) | −11% |
| A pound of bananas | $0.362 | $1.28 | $0.647 (2025) | −50% |
| A pound of lemons | $0.70 | $2.48 | $2.00 (2025) | −19% |
| A pound of iceberg lettuce | $0.487 | $1.72 | $1.59 (2025) | −8% |
| A pound of tomatoes | $0.77 | $2.73 | $1.84 (2025) | −33% |
| A pound of white sugar | $0.40 | $1.42 | $1.02 (2025) | −28% |
| 16 ounces of potato chips | $2.28 | $8.08 | $6.71 (2025) | −17% |
| A pound of ground coffee | $2.53 | $8.96 | $8.18 (2025) | −9% |
Average prices are U.S. city averages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (average price data), averaged over each calendar year. A year is included only when the Bureau published at least nine months of prices for it. Values in 2025 dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) annual average. See how Sticker Shock builds its data. Figures may contain errors and are not financial advice.