Prices are now 12.5x higher than in 1955
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1955 costs about $1,249.93 today. The inflation rate in 1955 was -0.4%, and total inflation from 1955 to August 2026 was 1,150%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.75 an hour at the end of 1955, or about $9.37 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1955 at 35.60. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1955 would have grown to about $162,491.16 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1955 (450% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (75% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,249.93 |
| Food | $1,252.11 |
| Groceries | $1,085.19 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,780.95 |
| Eggs | $440.89 |
| Milk | $715.59 |
| Bread | $1,534.48 |
| Meat | $1,303.19 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,780.28 |
Cost of living in 1955 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1955, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1955 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,150%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1955 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1955 today$1,252.11 | Compared with inflationsame as inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1955 today$1,085.19 | Compared with inflation13% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1955 today$1,780.95 | Compared with inflation42% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1955 today$440.89 | Compared with inflation65% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1955 today$715.59 | Compared with inflation43% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1955 today$1,534.48 | Compared with inflation23% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1955 today$1,303.19 | Compared with inflation4% more than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1955 today$1,780.28 | Compared with inflation42% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1955 today$1,454.67 | Compared with inflation16% more than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1955 today$743.19 | Compared with inflation41% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1955 today$6,872.33 | Compared with inflation450% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1955 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1955 today$1,250.43 | Compared with inflationsame as inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1955 today$1,071.93 | Compared with inflation14% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1955 today$1,837.53 | Compared with inflation47% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1955 today$3,688.85 | Compared with inflation195% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1955 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1955 today$1,520.20 | Compared with inflation22% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1955 today$390.75 | Compared with inflation69% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1955 today$838.49 | Compared with inflation33% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1955 today$1,569.03 | Compared with inflation26% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1955 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1955 today$317.09 | Compared with inflation75% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1955 today$434.78 | Compared with inflation65% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1955 today$3,247.70 | Compared with inflation160% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1955 today$2,364.09 | Compared with inflation89% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1955 today$1,177.97 | Compared with inflation6% less than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1955 today$1,006.76 | Compared with inflation19% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1955 today$2,210.82 | Compared with inflation77% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1955 worth today?
$1 in 1955 has about the same buying power as $12.50 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1955?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1955 was -0.4%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1954 to 1955.
What was the minimum wage in 1955?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1955 was $0.75 an hour, or about $9.37 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1955?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1955, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1955 costs about $6872.33 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $317.09.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1955 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1955 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
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- 1918
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- 1923
- 1924
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- 1954
- 1955
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- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,249.93 |
| Food | $1,252.11 |
| Groceries | $1,085.19 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,780.95 |
| Eggs | $440.89 |
| Milk | $715.59 |
| Bread | $1,534.48 |
| Meat | $1,303.19 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,780.28 |