Prices are now 10.6x higher than in 1965
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1965 costs about $1,063.43 today. The inflation rate in 1965 was 1.6%, and total inflation from 1965 to August 2026 was 963%.
The federal minimum wage was $1.25 an hour at the end of 1965, or about $13.29 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1965 at 86.12. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1965 would have grown to about $47,711.32 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1965 (415% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (73% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,063.43 |
| Food | $1,082.51 |
| Groceries | $955.41 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,387.97 |
| Eggs | $505.76 |
| Milk | $642.44 |
| Bread | $1,218.36 |
| Meat | $1,069.69 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,394.18 |
Cost of living in 1965 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1965, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1965 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 963%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1965 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1965 today$1,082.51 | Compared with inflation2% more than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1965 today$955.41 | Compared with inflation10% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1965 today$1,387.97 | Compared with inflation31% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1965 today$505.76 | Compared with inflation52% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1965 today$642.44 | Compared with inflation40% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1965 today$1,218.36 | Compared with inflation15% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1965 today$1,069.69 | Compared with inflation1% more than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1965 today$1,394.18 | Compared with inflation31% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1965 today$1,229.63 | Compared with inflation16% more than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1965 today$676.12 | Compared with inflation36% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1965 today$5,475.05 | Compared with inflation415% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1965 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1965 today$1,087.76 | Compared with inflation2% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1965 today$1,028.56 | Compared with inflation3% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1965 today$1,491.99 | Compared with inflation40% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1965 today$3,363.87 | Compared with inflation216% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1965 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1965 today$1,348.29 | Compared with inflation27% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1965 today$352.24 | Compared with inflation67% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1965 today$604.75 | Compared with inflation43% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1965 today$1,148.51 | Compared with inflation8% more than inflation |
| Airfare | $100 in 1965 today$1,275.45 | Compared with inflation20% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1965 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1965 today$284.87 | Compared with inflation73% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1965 today$346.30 | Compared with inflation67% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1965 today$2,352.49 | Compared with inflation121% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1965 today$1,759.80 | Compared with inflation65% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1965 today$1,167.71 | Compared with inflation10% more than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1965 today$824.55 | Compared with inflation22% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1965 today$1,491.92 | Compared with inflation40% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1965 worth today?
$1 in 1965 has about the same buying power as $10.63 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1965?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1965 was 1.6%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1964 to 1965.
What was the minimum wage in 1965?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1965 was $1.25 an hour, or about $13.29 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1965?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1965, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1965 costs about $5475.05 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $284.87.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1965 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1965 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
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- 1960
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- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
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- 1969
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- 1980
- 1981
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- 2006
- 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 | $1,063.43 |
| Food | $1,082.51 |
| Groceries | $955.41 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,387.97 |
| Eggs | $505.76 |
| Milk | $642.44 |
| Bread | $1,218.36 |
| Meat | $1,069.69 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,394.18 |