What things cost in 1979
41 items · 7 observed in the public record · 34 inflation-estimated
| Item | In 1979 | Today's money |
|---|---|---|
| Average home sale price / each | $72,400 | $342,466 |
| Average hourly earnings, private / hour | $6.32 | $29.19 |
| Electricity / kwh | $0.05 | $0.24 |
| Fuel oil #2 / gallon | $0.71 | $3.28 |
| Median home sale price / each | $63,100 | $298,476 |
| Minimum wage, federal / hour | $2.90 | $13.39 |
| Natural gas / therm | $0.34 | $1.59 |
| Bacon / lb | $1.41 | $6.52 |
| Bananas / lb | $0.31 | $1.44 |
| Beans, dried, any type / lb | $0.38 | $1.77 |
| Bread, white / lb | $0.49 | $2.25 |
| Butter, stick / lb | $1.42 | $6.57 |
| Cheddar cheese, natural / lb | $2.46 | $11.38 |
| Chicken breast, boneless / lb | $1.41 | $6.51 |
| Chicken legs, bone-in / lb | $1.03 | $4.77 |
| Chicken, whole / lb | $0.68 | $3.15 |
| Coffee / lb | $3.13 | $14.44 |
| Diesel, all types / gallon | $0.84 | $3.87 |
| Eggs, grade A large / dozen | $0.86 | $3.96 |
| Flour, white / lb | $0.19 | $0.90 |
| Gasoline, regular / gallon | $0.81 | $3.73 |
| Ground beef / lb | $1.04 | $4.81 |
| Ham / lb | $1.87 | $8.64 |
| Ice cream / half gallon | $1.71 | $7.92 |
| Lemons / lb | $0.66 | $3.06 |
| Lettuce, romaine / lb | $0.57 | $2.63 |
| Malt beverages, all types / 16 oz | $0.44 | $2.05 |
| Milk, whole / gallon | $1.38 | $6.36 |
| Orange juice, frozen concentrate / 16 oz | $1.21 | $5.58 |
| Oranges, navel / lb | $0.33 | $1.53 |
| Potato chips / 16 oz | $1.93 | $8.91 |
| Potatoes, white / lb | $0.16 | $0.75 |
| Rice, white / lb | $0.47 | $2.16 |
| Soft drinks, all / 2 liter | $0.49 | $2.28 |
| Spaghetti and macaroni / lb | $0.59 | $2.72 |
| Steak, sirloin, boneless / lb | $2.61 | $12.08 |
| Strawberries / 12 oz | $0.62 | $2.87 |
| Sugar, white / lb | $0.26 | $1.21 |
| Tomatoes / lb | $0.68 | $3.15 |
| Wine, red and white table / liter | $2.60 | $12.00 |
| Yogurt / 8 oz | $0.36 | $1.68 |