What things cost in 1981
37 items · 20 observed in the public record · 17 inflation-estimated
| Item | In 1981 | Today's money |
|---|---|---|
| Average home sale price / each | $84,300 | $315,961 |
| Bacon / lb | $1.60 | $5.90 |
| Bananas / lb | $0.37 | $1.36 |
| Bread, white / lb | $0.52 | $1.92 |
| Chicken legs, bone-in / lb | $1.10 | $4.05 |
| Chicken, whole / lb | $0.72 | $2.65 |
| Coffee / lb | $2.52 | $9.29 |
| Eggs, grade A large / dozen | $0.85 | $3.13 |
| Electricity / kwh | $0.07 | $0.26 |
| Fuel oil #2 / gallon | $1.26 | $4.64 |
| Ice cream / half gallon | $2.01 | $7.41 |
| Lemons / lb | $0.63 | $2.32 |
| Median home sale price / each | $69,400 | $260,115 |
| Natural gas / therm | $0.46 | $1.70 |
| Orange juice, frozen concentrate / 16 oz | $1.46 | $5.38 |
| Oranges, navel / lb | $0.39 | $1.44 |
| Potato chips / 16 oz | $2.30 | $8.48 |
| Potatoes, white / lb | $0.79 | $2.91 |
| Spaghetti & macaroni / lb | $1.71 | $6.30 |
| Sugar, white / lb | $0.37 | $1.36 |
| Beans, dried, any type / lb | $0.44 | $1.62 |
| Butter, stick / lb | $1.63 | $6.01 |
| Chicken breast, boneless / lb | $1.62 | $5.96 |
| Diesel, all types / gallon | $1.31 | $4.83 |
| Gasoline, regular / gallon | $1.26 | $4.66 |
| Ground beef / lb | $1.20 | $4.41 |
| Ham / lb | $2.15 | $7.91 |
| Lettuce, romaine / lb | $0.65 | $2.41 |
| Malt beverages, all types / 16 oz | $0.51 | $1.88 |
| Milk, whole / gallon | $1.58 | $5.82 |
| Orange juice / 16 oz | $1.86 | $6.85 |
| Rice, white / lb | $0.68 | $2.49 |
| Soft drinks, all / 2 liter | $0.57 | $2.09 |
| Steak, sirloin, boneless / lb | $3.00 | $11.05 |
| Tomatoes / lb | $0.19 | $0.69 |
| Wine, red and white table / liter | $2.98 | $10.99 |
| Yogurt / 8 oz | $0.42 | $1.54 |