What things cost in 1996

In 1996, a gallon of regular gas cost $1.23, a dozen large eggs $1.11 and a pound of white bread $0.876 on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices overall were 2.1 times higher by 2025, so $1.00 in 1996 bought about as much as $2.05 did in 2025.

By category

Energy: a gallon of regular gas $1.23, a gallon of heating oil $1.02 and a kilowatt-hour of electricity $0.094. Bread, grains and baking: a pound of white bread $0.876, a pound of whole wheat bread $1.25, a pound of all-purpose flour $0.288, a pound of white rice $0.546, a pound of spaghetti $0.865 and a pound of chocolate chip cookies $2.58. Meat and poultry in 1996: a pound of ground beef $1.37, a pound of sirloin steak $4.21, a pound of beef stew meat $2.50, a pound of whole chicken $0.973, a pound of frozen whole turkey $1.04, a pound of sliced bacon $2.47, a pound of pork chops $3.41, a pound of boneless ham $2.70, a pound of hot dogs $2.08 and a pound of bologna $2.33. Eggs and dairy: a dozen large eggs $1.11, a gallon of whole milk $2.62, a pound of cheddar cheese $3.25, a pound of American cheese $3.34 and a half gallon of ice cream $2.86. Fruit and vegetables: a pound of bananas $0.49, a pound of lemons $1.11, a 12-oz pint of strawberries $1.29, a pound of seedless grapes $1.69, a pound of iceberg lettuce $0.648, a pound of tomatoes $1.21, a pound of white potatoes $0.381 and a pound of broccoli $0.91. Pantry and snacks in 1996: a pound of white sugar $0.418, a pound of dried beans $0.694 and 16 ounces of potato chips $3.06. In coffee, beer and wine, a pound of ground coffee cost $3.43, 16 ounces of beer cost $0.836 and a liter of table wine cost $4.93.

What changed

Compared with 1995, the biggest increases were for a pound of sliced bacon (up 24%), a dozen large eggs (up 20%) and a pound of all-purpose flour (up 18%), and the biggest decreases were for a pound of iceberg lettuce (down 19%), a pound of ground coffee (down 15%) and a pound of cheddar cheese (down 4%).

Since 1996, 22 of these 38 items have risen faster than overall inflation, so they cost more today even after adjusting for it: a pound of ground beef, a dozen large eggs, a gallon of heating oil, a pound of beef stew meat, a pound of sirloin steak, a pound of sliced bacon, a liter of table wine, a pound of broccoli, a gallon of regular gas, a pound of white potatoes, a pound of iceberg lettuce, a pound of white sugar, a pound of ground coffee, a pound of dried beans, a pound of hot dogs, a half gallon of ice cream, 16 ounces of potato chips, 16 ounces of beer, a pound of whole wheat bread, a pound of white bread, a pound of whole chicken and a 12-oz pint of strawberries. The other 16 are cheaper in real terms than in 1996; the biggest real-terms drops were for a pound of bananas (36% lower), a pound of pork chops (35% lower) and a pound of bologna (29% lower). Some of these series end before 2025; for those, the comparison uses the last year the Bureau published.

Every item in 1996

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.