Prices are now 11.5x higher than in 1959
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1959 costs about $1,151.13 today. The inflation rate in 1959 was 0.7%, and total inflation from 1959 to August 2026 was 1,051%.
The federal minimum wage was $1.00 an hour at the end of 1959, or about $11.51 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1959 at 55.62. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1959 would have grown to about $89,204.38 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1959 (443% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (74% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,151.13 |
| Food | $1,174.36 |
| Groceries | $1,026.07 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,589.98 |
| Eggs | $504.99 |
| Milk | $652.37 |
| Bread | $1,366.42 |
| Meat | $1,131.14 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,658.61 |
Cost of living in 1959 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1959, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1959 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,051%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1959 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1959 today$1,174.36 | Compared with inflation2% more than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1959 today$1,026.07 | Compared with inflation11% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1959 today$1,589.98 | Compared with inflation38% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1959 today$504.99 | Compared with inflation56% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1959 today$652.37 | Compared with inflation43% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1959 today$1,366.42 | Compared with inflation19% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1959 today$1,131.14 | Compared with inflation2% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1959 today$1,658.61 | Compared with inflation44% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1959 today$1,356.30 | Compared with inflation18% more than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1959 today$709.26 | Compared with inflation38% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1959 today$6,253.49 | Compared with inflation443% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1959 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1959 today$1,166.36 | Compared with inflation1% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1959 today$1,034.37 | Compared with inflation10% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1959 today$1,622.77 | Compared with inflation41% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1959 today$3,502.84 | Compared with inflation204% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1959 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1959 today$1,410.78 | Compared with inflation23% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1959 today$335.60 | Compared with inflation71% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1959 today$671.67 | Compared with inflation42% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1959 today$1,347.57 | Compared with inflation17% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1959 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1959 today$302.01 | Compared with inflation74% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1959 today$378.45 | Compared with inflation67% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1959 today$2,756.58 | Compared with inflation139% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1959 today$2,059.20 | Compared with inflation79% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1959 today$1,032.33 | Compared with inflation10% less than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1959 today$885.07 | Compared with inflation23% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1959 today$1,879.69 | Compared with inflation63% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1959 worth today?
$1 in 1959 has about the same buying power as $11.51 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1959?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1959 was 0.7%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1958 to 1959.
What was the minimum wage in 1959?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1959 was $1.00 an hour, or about $11.51 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1959?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1959, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1959 costs about $6253.49 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $302.01.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1959 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1959 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
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- 1959
- 1960
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- 1980
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- 2007
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- 2009
- 2010
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- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,151.13 |
| Food | $1,174.36 |
| Groceries | $1,026.07 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,589.98 |
| Eggs | $504.99 |
| Milk | $652.37 |
| Bread | $1,366.42 |
| Meat | $1,131.14 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,658.61 |