What things cost in 2025 vs. today

In 2025, a dozen eggs cost $4.25, a gallon of milk cost $4.07, a gallon of gas cost $3.26, a pound of white bread cost $1.87, a pound of ground beef cost $6.09 and a pound of coffee cost $8.18. Overall, $1 in 2025 buys about as much as $1.04 today.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracked average prices for 51 of these everyday items in both 2025 and August 2026. After adjusting for inflation, 23 of them cost more today than in 2025, and 28 are cheaper in real terms.

Rose faster than inflation

  • Diesel fuel: $3.68 → $5.55 per gallon (45% above inflation)
  • Heating oil: $3.62 → $5.15 per gallon (37% above inflation)
  • Gasoline, regular: $3.26 → $4.20 per gallon (24% above inflation)
  • Gasoline, midgrade: $3.71 → $4.69 per gallon (21% above inflation)
  • Gasoline, premium: $4.13 → $5.13 per gallon (20% above inflation)

Cheaper today after inflation

  • Eggs, grade A large: $4.25 → $2.27 per dozen (49% below inflation)
  • Butter: $4.76 → $4.02 per lb (19% below inflation)
  • Ice cream: $6.37 → $5.85 per ½ gallon (12% below inflation)
  • Iceberg lettuce: $1.59 → $1.47 per lb (11% below inflation)
  • Chicken legs: $1.79 → $1.67 per lb (10% below inflation)

2025 prices vs. today

Each row shows the average 2025 price, what that price equals in today's dollars, and the actual average price in August 2026. Red items rose faster than inflation; green items got cheaper in real terms.

Gas & energy

Item20252025 price in today's dollarsAugust 2026vs. inflation
Gasoline, regular / gallon$3.26$3.39$4.20+24%
Gasoline, midgrade / gallon$3.71$3.86$4.69+21%
Gasoline, premium / gallon$4.13$4.29$5.13+20%
Diesel fuel  / gallon$3.68$3.83$5.55+45%
Electricity / kWh$0.19$0.19$0.20+2%
Natural gas (piped) / therm$1.62$1.69$1.71+1%
Heating oil / gallon$3.62$3.77$5.15+37%

Meat & poultry

Item20252025 price in today's dollarsAugust 2026vs. inflation
Ground beef  / lb$6.09$6.33$6.92+9%
Ground chuck  / lb$6.14$6.38$6.77+6%
Ground beef, lean  / lb$7.76$8.07$8.57+6%
Sirloin steak  / lb$12.97$13.48$14.36+7%
Round steak  / lb$8.86$9.21$9.69+5%
Round roast  / lb$7.96$8.28$8.96+8%
Chuck roast  / lb$8.43$8.77$9.45+8%
Beef stew meat  / lb$8.14$8.47$8.59+1%
Bacon / lb$7.02$7.30$6.61−10%
Pork chops, boneless  / lb$4.63$4.81$4.53−6%
Ham, boneless / lb$5.48$5.70$5.38−6%
Whole chicken / lb$2.06$2.14$2.01−6%
Chicken legs  / lb$1.79$1.86$1.67−10%
Chicken breast, boneless  / lb$4.16$4.32$4.17−3%

Dairy & eggs

Item20252025 price in today's dollarsAugust 2026vs. inflation
Eggs, grade A large / dozen$4.25$4.42$2.27−49%
Whole milk  / gallon$4.07$4.23$4.23Same
Low-fat milk  / gallon$3.67$3.82$3.72−3%
Butter  / lb$4.76$4.95$4.02−19%
Cheddar cheese  / lb$5.84$6.07$5.98−1%
American cheese  / lb$4.95$5.14$4.75−8%
Ice cream  / ½ gallon$6.37$6.62$5.85−12%
Yogurt  / 8 oz$1.53$1.59$1.58Same

Fruits & vegetables

Item20252025 price in today's dollarsAugust 2026vs. inflation
Bananas / lb$0.65$0.67$0.65−3%
Navel oranges / lb$1.60$1.66$1.71+3%
Grapefruit  / lb$1.67$1.74$1.60−8%
Lemons  / lb$2.00$2.08$2.11+2%
Strawberries  / 12 oz$2.65$2.75$2.58−6%
Tomatoes  / lb$1.84$1.91$1.98+3%
Potatoes  / lb$0.96$1.00$0.98−2%
Iceberg lettuce / lb$1.59$1.65$1.47−11%
Romaine lettuce  / lb$3.04$3.16$3.29+4%
Canned corn  / lb$1.34$1.40$1.27−9%
Dried beans  / lb$1.64$1.71$1.63−4%

Pantry & bakery

Item20252025 price in today's dollarsAugust 2026vs. inflation
White bread / lb$1.87$1.94$1.82−6%
Flour  / lb$0.56$0.58$0.55−6%
Rice  / lb$1.05$1.09$1.11+2%
Spaghetti & macaroni  / lb$1.32$1.37$1.37Same
Sugar  / lb$1.02$1.07$1.02−4%
Chocolate chip cookies / lb$5.05$5.25$5.21Same
Potato chips / 16 oz$6.71$6.97$6.75−3%

Drinks

Item20252025 price in today's dollarsAugust 2026vs. inflation
Ground coffee  / lb$8.18$8.51$9.30+9%
Soda  / 2 liters$2.13$2.21$2.23Same
Beer / 16 oz$1.83$1.90$1.88−1%
Wine / liter$13.97$14.53$13.75−5%

How these prices are calculated

Prices are U.S. city averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Average Price Data, which BLS collects each month for the Consumer Price Index. The 2025 price is the average of that year's available monthly prices, and the "today" price is the latest monthly average, from August 2026. The inflation-adjusted price converts the 2025 price to today's dollars using the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). "vs. inflation" compares the actual price today with that inflation-adjusted price.

To convert any other amount, use the 2025 inflation calculator.

Prices in other years

← What things cost in 2024

Ian Webster

About the author

Ian Webster is an engineer and data expert based in San Mateo, California. He has worked for Google, NASA, and consulted for governments around the world on data pipelines and data analysis. Disappointed by the lack of clear resources on the impacts of inflation on economic indicators, Ian believes this website serves as a valuable public tool. Ian earned his degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth College.

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