Prices are now 12.5x higher than in 1953
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1953 costs about $1,254.61 today. The inflation rate in 1953 was 0.8%, and total inflation from 1953 to August 2026 was 1,155%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.75 an hour at the end of 1953, or about $9.41 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1953 at 26.18. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1953 would have grown to about $245,703.18 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1953 (462% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (75% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,254.61 |
| Food | $1,232.18 |
| Groceries | $1,057.41 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,830.57 |
| Eggs | $380.83 |
| Milk | $701.76 |
| Bread | $1,646.34 |
| Meat | $1,193.38 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,763.57 |
Cost of living in 1953 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1953, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1953 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,155%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1953 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1953 today$1,232.18 | Compared with inflation2% less than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1953 today$1,057.41 | Compared with inflation16% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1953 today$1,830.57 | Compared with inflation46% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1953 today$380.83 | Compared with inflation70% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1953 today$701.76 | Compared with inflation44% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1953 today$1,646.34 | Compared with inflation31% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1953 today$1,193.38 | Compared with inflation5% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1953 today$1,763.57 | Compared with inflation41% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1953 today$1,517.39 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1953 today$759.64 | Compared with inflation39% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1953 today$7,056.08 | Compared with inflation462% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1953 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1953 today$1,313.12 | Compared with inflation5% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1953 today$1,089.80 | Compared with inflation13% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1953 today$1,946.34 | Compared with inflation55% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1953 today$3,841.22 | Compared with inflation206% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1953 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1953 today$1,591.24 | Compared with inflation27% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1953 today$371.15 | Compared with inflation70% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1953 today$673.56 | Compared with inflation46% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1953 today$1,720.49 | Compared with inflation37% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1953 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1953 today$314.95 | Compared with inflation75% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1953 today$444.21 | Compared with inflation65% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1953 today$3,426.13 | Compared with inflation173% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1953 today$2,515.81 | Compared with inflation101% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1953 today$1,214.01 | Compared with inflation3% less than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1953 today$1,029.40 | Compared with inflation18% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1953 today$2,392.65 | Compared with inflation91% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1953 worth today?
$1 in 1953 has about the same buying power as $12.55 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1953?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1953 was 0.8%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1952 to 1953.
What was the minimum wage in 1953?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1953 was $0.75 an hour, or about $9.41 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1953?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1953, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1953 costs about $7056.08 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $314.95.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1953 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1953 inflation calculator. The federal minimum wage is from the U.S. Department of Labor, via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. S&P 500 values are from Robert Shiller's historical stock market data.
Prices in other years
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
- 1933
- 1934
- 1935
- 1936
- 1937
- 1938
- 1939
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
- 1946
- 1947
- 1948
- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
- 1952
- 1953
- 1954
- 1955
- 1956
- 1957
- 1958
- 1959
- 1960
- 1961
- 1962
- 1963
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973
- 1974
- 1975
- 1976
- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1984
- 1985
- 1986
- 1987
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,254.61 |
| Food | $1,232.18 |
| Groceries | $1,057.41 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,830.57 |
| Eggs | $380.83 |
| Milk | $701.76 |
| Bread | $1,646.34 |
| Meat | $1,193.38 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,763.57 |