What things cost in 1982
In 1982, a gallon of regular gas cost $1.30, a dozen large eggs $0.867 and a pound of white bread $0.532 on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices overall were 3.3 times higher by 2025, so $1.00 in 1982 bought about as much as $3.34 did in 2025.
By category
Energy: a gallon of regular gas $1.30, a gallon of heating oil $1.21 and a kilowatt-hour of electricity $0.076. Bread, grains and baking: a pound of white bread $0.532, a pound of whole wheat bread $0.816, a pound of all-purpose flour $0.224, a pound of white rice $0.505 and a pound of chocolate chip cookies $1.77. Meat and poultry: a pound of whole chicken $0.714, a pound of frozen whole turkey $0.93, a pound of sliced bacon $2.05, a pound of pork chops $2.39, a pound of hot dogs $1.82 and a pound of bologna $2.21. Eggs and dairy in 1982: a dozen large eggs $0.867 and a half gallon of ice cream $2.10. Fruit and vegetables: a pound of bananas $0.354, a pound of lemons $0.77, a pound of iceberg lettuce $0.573 and a pound of tomatoes $0.739. Pantry and snacks in 1982: a pound of white sugar $0.345 and 16 ounces of potato chips $2.40. In coffee, beer and wine, a pound of ground coffee cost $2.52.
What changed
Compared with 1981, the biggest increases were for a pound of sliced bacon (up 23%), a pound of iceberg lettuce (up 18%) and a pound of pork chops (up 12%), and the biggest decreases were for a pound of white sugar (down 14%), a pound of white rice (down 10%) and a gallon of regular gas (down 6%).
Since 1982, 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 white bread and a pound of sliced bacon. The other 20 are cheaper in real terms than in 1982; the biggest real-terms drops were for a pound of bologna (54% lower), a pound of bananas (45% lower) and a pound of pork chops (43% lower). Some of these series end before 2025; for those, the comparison uses the last year the Bureau published.
Every item in 1982
| Item | Price in 1982 | In 2025 dollars | Latest price | Real change to latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A gallon of regular gas | $1.30 | $4.34 | $3.26 (2025) | −25% |
| A gallon of heating oil | $1.21 | $4.04 | $3.62 (2025) | −10% |
| A kilowatt-hour of electricity | $0.076 | $0.254 | $0.185 (2025) | −27% |
| A pound of white bread | $0.532 | $1.77 | $1.87 (2025) | +5% |
| A pound of whole wheat bread | $0.816 | $2.72 | $2.70 (2025) | −1% |
| A pound of all-purpose flour | $0.224 | $0.747 | $0.56 (2025) | −25% |
| A pound of white rice | $0.505 | $1.68 | $1.05 (2025) | −38% |
| A pound of chocolate chip cookies | $1.77 | $5.91 | $5.05 (2025) | −14% |
| A pound of whole chicken | $0.714 | $2.38 | $2.06 (2025) | −14% |
| A pound of frozen whole turkey | $0.93 | $3.10 | $1.52 (2019) | −38% |
| A pound of sliced bacon | $2.05 | $6.84 | $7.02 (2025) | +3% |
| A pound of pork chops | $2.39 | $7.97 | $4.56 (2025) | −43% |
| A pound of hot dogs | $1.82 | $6.07 | $4.01 (2021) | −22% |
| A pound of bologna | $2.21 | $7.37 | $2.70 (2019) | −54% |
| A dozen large eggs | $0.867 | $2.89 | $4.25 (2025) | +47% |
| A half gallon of ice cream | $2.10 | $7.01 | $6.37 (2025) | −9% |
| A pound of bananas | $0.354 | $1.18 | $0.647 (2025) | −45% |
| A pound of lemons | $0.77 | $2.57 | $2.00 (2025) | −22% |
| A pound of iceberg lettuce | $0.573 | $1.91 | $1.59 (2025) | −17% |
| A pound of tomatoes | $0.739 | $2.47 | $1.84 (2025) | −25% |
| A pound of white sugar | $0.345 | $1.15 | $1.02 (2025) | −11% |
| 16 ounces of potato chips | $2.40 | $8.01 | $6.71 (2025) | −16% |
| A pound of ground coffee | $2.52 | $8.41 | $8.18 (2025) | −3% |
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.