Prices are now 5.1x higher than in 1978
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1978 costs about $513.77 today. The inflation rate in 1978 was 7.6%, and total inflation from 1978 to August 2026 was 414%.
The federal minimum wage was $2.65 an hour at the end of 1978, or about $13.61 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1978 at 90.25. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1978 would have grown to about $28,933.37 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1978 (438% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (67% less).
| All prices, on average | $513.77 |
| Food | $483.35 |
| Groceries | $433.71 |
| Restaurant meals | $577.35 |
| Eggs | $336.29 |
| Milk | $337.97 |
| Bread | $649.94 |
| Meat | $485.77 |
| Fresh fruit | $595.31 |
Cost of living in 1978 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1978, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1978 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 414%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1978 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1978 today$483.35 | Compared with inflation6% less than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1978 today$433.71 | Compared with inflation16% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1978 today$577.35 | Compared with inflation12% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1978 today$336.29 | Compared with inflation35% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1978 today$337.97 | Compared with inflation34% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1978 today$649.94 | Compared with inflation27% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1978 today$485.77 | Compared with inflation5% less than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1978 today$595.31 | Compared with inflation16% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1978 today$472.17 | Compared with inflation8% less than inflation |
| Coffee | $100 in 1978 today$277.66 | Compared with inflation46% less than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1978 today$405.41 | Compared with inflation21% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1978 today$2,766.22 | Compared with inflation438% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1978 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1978 today$642.74 | Compared with inflation25% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1978 today$501.46 | Compared with inflation2% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1978 today$565.32 | Compared with inflation10% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1978 today$1,069.70 | Compared with inflation108% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1978 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1978 today$645.76 | Compared with inflation26% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1978 today$231.05 | Compared with inflation55% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1978 today$322.41 | Compared with inflation37% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1978 today$562.18 | Compared with inflation9% more than inflation |
| Airfare | $100 in 1978 today$665.74 | Compared with inflation30% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1978 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1978 today$167.12 | Compared with inflation67% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1978 today$190.06 | Compared with inflation63% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1978 today$959.15 | Compared with inflation87% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1978 today$690.82 | Compared with inflation34% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1978 today$906.57 | Compared with inflation76% more than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1978 today$431.09 | Compared with inflation16% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1978 today$590.30 | Compared with inflation15% more than inflation |
| College tuition | $100 in 1978 today$1,621.12 | Compared with inflation216% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1978 worth today?
$1 in 1978 has about the same buying power as $5.14 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1978?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1978 was 7.6%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1977 to 1978.
What was the minimum wage in 1978?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1978 was $2.65 an hour, or about $13.61 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1978?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1978, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1978 costs about $2766.22 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $167.12.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1978 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1978 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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- 1920
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- 1978
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- 2017
- 2018
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- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $513.77 |
| Food | $483.35 |
| Groceries | $433.71 |
| Restaurant meals | $577.35 |
| Eggs | $336.29 |
| Milk | $337.97 |
| Bread | $649.94 |
| Meat | $485.77 |
| Fresh fruit | $595.31 |