Prices are now 5.9x higher than in 1976
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1976 costs about $588.72 today. The inflation rate in 1976 was 5.8%, and total inflation from 1976 to August 2026 was 489%.
The federal minimum wage was $2.30 an hour at the end of 1976, or about $13.54 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1976 at 96.86. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1976 would have grown to about $29,267.61 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1976 (419% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (69% less).
| All prices, on average | $588.72 |
| Food | $565.11 |
| Groceries | $507.82 |
| Restaurant meals | $677.68 |
| Eggs | $307.93 |
| Milk | $361.19 |
| Bread | $694.11 |
| Meat | $563.72 |
| Fresh fruit | $818.07 |
Cost of living in 1976 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1976, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1976 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 489%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1976 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1976 today$565.11 | Compared with inflation4% less than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1976 today$507.82 | Compared with inflation14% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1976 today$677.68 | Compared with inflation15% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1976 today$307.93 | Compared with inflation48% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1976 today$361.19 | Compared with inflation39% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1976 today$694.11 | Compared with inflation18% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1976 today$563.72 | Compared with inflation4% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1976 today$818.07 | Compared with inflation39% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1976 today$557.44 | Compared with inflation5% less than inflation |
| Coffee | $100 in 1976 today$466.90 | Compared with inflation21% less than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1976 today$441.20 | Compared with inflation25% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1976 today$3,054.37 | Compared with inflation419% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1976 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1976 today$728.24 | Compared with inflation24% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1976 today$574.13 | Compared with inflation2% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1976 today$739.15 | Compared with inflation26% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1976 today$1,284.40 | Compared with inflation118% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1976 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1976 today$712.52 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1976 today$261.88 | Compared with inflation56% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1976 today$358.10 | Compared with inflation39% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1976 today$606.21 | Compared with inflation3% more than inflation |
| Airfare | $100 in 1976 today$736.50 | Compared with inflation25% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1976 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1976 today$180.72 | Compared with inflation69% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1976 today$207.57 | Compared with inflation65% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1976 today$1,139.48 | Compared with inflation94% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1976 today$817.46 | Compared with inflation39% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1976 today$1,035.68 | Compared with inflation76% more than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1976 today$488.82 | Compared with inflation17% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1976 today$648.22 | Compared with inflation10% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1976 worth today?
$1 in 1976 has about the same buying power as $5.89 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1976?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1976 was 5.8%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1975 to 1976.
What was the minimum wage in 1976?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1976 was $2.30 an hour, or about $13.54 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1976?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1976, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1976 costs about $3054.37 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $180.72.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1976 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1976 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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- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $588.72 |
| Food | $565.11 |
| Groceries | $507.82 |
| Restaurant meals | $677.68 |
| Eggs | $307.93 |
| Milk | $361.19 |
| Bread | $694.11 |
| Meat | $563.72 |
| Fresh fruit | $818.07 |