Prices are now 4.6x higher than in 1979
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1979 costs about $461.40 today. The inflation rate in 1979 was 11.3%, and total inflation from 1979 to August 2026 was 361%.
The federal minimum wage was $2.90 an hour at the end of 1979, or about $13.38 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1979 at 99.71. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1979 would have grown to about $24,892.09 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1979 (464% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (65% less).
| All prices, on average | $461.40 |
| Food | $435.82 |
| Groceries | $391.39 |
| Restaurant meals | $519.35 |
| Eggs | $307.17 |
| Milk | $303.20 |
| Bread | $580.69 |
| Meat | $415.23 |
| Fresh fruit | $529.55 |
Cost of living in 1979 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1979, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1979 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 361%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1979 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1979 today$435.82 | Compared with inflation6% less than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1979 today$391.39 | Compared with inflation15% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1979 today$519.35 | Compared with inflation13% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1979 today$307.17 | Compared with inflation33% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1979 today$303.20 | Compared with inflation34% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1979 today$580.69 | Compared with inflation26% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1979 today$415.23 | Compared with inflation10% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1979 today$529.55 | Compared with inflation15% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1979 today$438.03 | Compared with inflation5% less than inflation |
| Coffee | $100 in 1979 today$292.34 | Compared with inflation37% less than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1979 today$375.86 | Compared with inflation19% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1979 today$2,602.54 | Compared with inflation464% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1979 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1979 today$598.93 | Compared with inflation30% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1979 today$465.49 | Compared with inflation1% more than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1979 today$486.95 | Compared with inflation6% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1979 today$762.05 | Compared with inflation65% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1979 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1979 today$477.18 | Compared with inflation3% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1979 today$214.06 | Compared with inflation54% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1979 today$299.07 | Compared with inflation35% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1979 today$527.05 | Compared with inflation14% more than inflation |
| Airfare | $100 in 1979 today$616.85 | Compared with inflation34% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1979 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1979 today$160.10 | Compared with inflation65% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1979 today$176.20 | Compared with inflation62% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1979 today$877.90 | Compared with inflation90% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1979 today$632.82 | Compared with inflation37% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1979 today$841.70 | Compared with inflation82% more than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1979 today$400.63 | Compared with inflation13% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1979 today$559.96 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
| College tuition | $100 in 1979 today$1,501.83 | Compared with inflation225% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1979 worth today?
$1 in 1979 has about the same buying power as $4.61 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1979?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1979 was 11.3%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1978 to 1979.
What was the minimum wage in 1979?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1979 was $2.90 an hour, or about $13.38 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1979?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1979, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1979 costs about $2602.54 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $160.10.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1979 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1979 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 | $461.40 |
| Food | $435.82 |
| Groceries | $391.39 |
| Restaurant meals | $519.35 |
| Eggs | $307.17 |
| Milk | $303.20 |
| Bread | $580.69 |
| Meat | $415.23 |
| Fresh fruit | $529.55 |