Prices are now 8.3x higher than in 1971
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1971 costs about $831.95 today. The inflation rate in 1971 was 4.4%, and total inflation from 1971 to September 2026 was 732%.
The federal minimum wage was $1.60 an hour at the end of 1971, or about $13.31 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1971 at 93.49. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1971 would have grown to about $36,597.16 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, tobacco rose the most since 1971 (366% more than inflation), and clothing rose the least (73% less).
| All prices, on average | $831.95 |
| Food | $863.91 |
| Groceries | $783.51 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,001.55 |
| Eggs | $490.19 |
| Milk | $506.66 |
| Bread | $1,006.50 |
| Meat | $860.50 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,123.45 |
Cost of living in 1971 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1971, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1971 costs in September 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 732%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1971 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1971 today$863.91 | Compared with inflation4% more than inflation |
| Groceries | $100 in 1971 today$783.51 | Compared with inflation6% less than inflation |
| Restaurant meals | $100 in 1971 today$1,001.55 | Compared with inflation20% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1971 today$490.19 | Compared with inflation41% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1971 today$506.66 | Compared with inflation39% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1971 today$1,006.50 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1971 today$860.50 | Compared with inflation3% more than inflation |
| Fresh fruit | $100 in 1971 today$1,123.45 | Compared with inflation35% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1971 today$1,020.00 | Compared with inflation23% more than inflation |
| Coffee | $100 in 1971 today$912.82 | Compared with inflation10% more than inflation |
| Alcohol | $100 in 1971 today$554.63 | Compared with inflation33% less than inflation |
| Tobacco | $100 in 1971 today$3,877.87 | Compared with inflation366% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1971 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1971 today$916.40 | Compared with inflation10% more than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1971 today$901.88 | Compared with inflation8% more than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1971 today$1,276.55 | Compared with inflation53% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1971 today$2,815.06 | Compared with inflation238% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1971 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1971 today$1,212.10 | Compared with inflation46% more than inflation |
| New cars | $100 in 1971 today$317.50 | Compared with inflation62% less than inflation |
| Used cars | $100 in 1971 today$546.97 | Compared with inflation34% less than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1971 today$770.12 | Compared with inflation7% less than inflation |
| Airfare | $100 in 1971 today$1,004.03 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1971 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1971 today$223.32 | Compared with inflation73% less than inflation |
| Shoes | $100 in 1971 today$257.03 | Compared with inflation69% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1971 today$1,639.20 | Compared with inflation97% more than inflation |
| Doctor visits | $100 in 1971 today$1,187.90 | Compared with inflation43% more than inflation |
| Prescription drugs | $100 in 1971 today$1,175.03 | Compared with inflation41% more than inflation |
| Personal care | $100 in 1971 today$672.29 | Compared with inflation19% less than inflation |
| Postage | $100 in 1971 today$1,047.26 | Compared with inflation26% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1971 worth today?
$1 in 1971 has about the same buying power as $8.32 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1971?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1971 was 4.4%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1970 to 1971.
What was the minimum wage in 1971?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1971 was $1.60 an hour, or about $13.31 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1971?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1971, tobacco rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1971 costs about $3,877.87 today. Clothing rose the least, to about $223.32.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1971 annual average to September 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1971 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
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- 1971
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- 1980
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- 2007
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- 2010
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- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $831.95 |
| Food | $863.91 |
| Groceries | $783.51 |
| Restaurant meals | $1,001.55 |
| Eggs | $490.19 |
| Milk | $506.66 |
| Bread | $1,006.50 |
| Meat | $860.50 |
| Fresh fruit | $1,123.45 |