Wallet Pop’s Tom Barlow put together the below compilation of price difference on various items since 1999. The idea that a single index or indicator (like CPI) or even a data-massaging index (like CPI ex Food and Energy) can give us an accurate depiction of inflation and deflation is laughable at best.
It’s more helpful to look at the price change of certain things on an individual basis.
Check it:
| Product | 1999 price | 2009 price | Change |
| Observation deck, Empire State Building, adult | $4.00 | $20.00 | 400.00% |
| Gold, one ounce | $279.11 | $1,106.00 | 296.26% |
| New York Times daily edition | $0.75 | $2.00 | 166.66% |
| Slurpee, largest, 7-11 | $0.99 | $2.12 | 114.14% |
| Superman comic book | $1.99 | $3.99 | 100.50% |
| Toll (auto), Golden Gate Bridge | $3.00 | $6.00 | 100.00% |
| Gallon of gasoline | $1.30 | $2.56 | 96.92% |
| Apple (AAPL) stock, one share | $102.81 | $198.10 | 92.69% |
| Average ticket price, Boston Red Sox | $28.33 | $50.24 | 77.34% |
| Cost to raise newborn to age 18 | $165,630.00 | $291,570.00 | 76.04% |
| Disneyland, one day adult ticket | $41.00 | $72.00 | 75.61% |
| NYC YMCA summer membership | $125 | $200 | 60.00% |
| Average expanded basic cable (per month) | $31.22 | $49.65 | 59.03% |
| Average ticket, NFL Denver Broncos | $49.00 | $76.65 | 56.63% |
| ATM transaction cost | $2.28 | $3.54 | 55.26% |
| Babysitting per hour | $7-$10 | $10-$15 | 50.00% |
| Budweiser, six pack of cans | $4.01 | $5.99 | 49.38% |
| Home value, average | $119,600.00 | $173,100.00 | 44.73% |
| Electricity per 500 kwh | $45.38 | $65.21 | 43.70% |
| Movie ticket | $5.06 | $7.18 | 41.90% |
| Time magazine, newsstand | $3.50 | $4.95 | 41.43% |
| Aspirin, Bayer, 100-count | $3.47 | $4.81 | 38.62% |
| Sugar, 5 lb. | $2.13 | $2.90 | 36.15% |
| Cheerios, one box | $3.89 | $5.15 | 32.39% |
| Stamp, USPS, 1st class | $0.33 | $0.44 | 33.33% |
| Cigarettes, Marlboro, per pack, Calif. | $4.65 | $5.95 | 27.96% |
| Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster | $5,595.00 | $6,999.00 | 25.09% |
| Average cell phone bill | $40.24 | $49.57 | 23.19% |
| McDonald’s Big Mac | $2.50 | $2.99 | 19.60% |
| Levi’s, men’s, 505 | $36.99 | $44.00 | 18.95% |
| Coca-Cola, one liter | $1.14 | $1.34 | 17.54% |
| Ty Warner penthouse, Four Seasons, NYC, per night | $30,000.00 | $34,000.00 | 13.33% |
| Car, Toyota Camry,base model | $17,518.00 | $19,395.00 | 10.71% |
| Wedding, average cost | $18,900.00 | $20,398.00 | 7.93% |
| Nike shoes Jordon vs. LeBron James | $150.00 | $160.00 | 6.67% |
| Gallon of milk | $2.88 | $3.05 | 5.90% |
| Top 100 Music CD | $13.65 | $13.98 | 2.42% |
| Bestseller novel, Grisham vs.Patterson | $27.95 | $27.99 | 0.14% |
| Tom Cruise earnings, per movie | $20 million | $20 million | 0.00% |
| Windows 1998 vs Windows 7 | $209.00 | $199.99 | -4.31% |
| Coffee, Maxwell House, 34.5 oz. | $9.99 | $9.49 | -5.01% |
| Average domestic airfare | $329.00 | $301.00 | -8.51% |
| Credit card average APR | 15.07% | 13.71% | -9.02% |
| Batteries, AA, 4, Energizer | $3.99 | $3.49 | -12.53% |
| Wal-Mart stock | $69.12 | $52.80 | -23.61% |
| $100,000 mortgage, 30 year fixed, total cost | $265,154.54 | $184,549.59 | -30.40% |
| iMac desktop computer, Apple | $1,499.00 | $999.00 | -33.36% |
| Hummel “To Market” #49 figurine | $120.00 | $79.95 | -33.38% |
| Martini and Rossi Spumante, 375 ml | $12.99 | $8.29 | -36.18% |
| Prime rate | 8.50% | 3.25% | -61.76% |
For an explanation of how these numbers were arrived at, click below…
Sources:
Then vs Now: How Prices Have Changed Since 1999 (Wallet Pop)
Joshua M. Brown
Joshua M Brown is a New York City-based financial advisor and stockbroker. He is also the author of The Reformed Broker blog and his work has been featured by virtually every major financial publication. None of the opinions ...
Read more about Joshua M. Brown ->
