Here’s What Everyday Items Used to Cost 50 Years Ago

Updated: Jul 13, 2023By Daniel RosenblatHistory

This article originally appeared on Investing.com. It has been republished here with permission.

LP ©Walter Leporati/Getty Images

The year is 1970. Richard Nixon is the President of the United States. The Apollo 11 crew is less than a year removed from becoming the first Earthlings to step foot on the moon, and children are walking to school in “3-feet of snow. Uphill, both ways.”

The stories Baby Boomers tell their children and grandchildren make 1970 seem like it would have been an interesting and inexpensive time to be in America. From the $0.50 lunches at school to the tales about how “Back in my day you could get a bottle of Coke for a dime,” let’s see how accurate those stories have been. Here’s a peek at what things cost back in 1970. Brace yourself – the price difference is startling.

1. Carton of Eggs

Est. Cost 1970s: $0.60/Dozen*
Est. Cost 2020s: $1.53/Dozen*

Sitting down to breakfast and seeing scrambled eggs, a couple of strips of bacon, and a heap of home fries is something that people today have grown quite accustomed to. That’s probably because most breakfasters these days don’t have to pay too much for eggs at the grocery store.

Carton of Eggs @taste_of_home/Pinterest | ©Aleksandrs Samuilovs/Shutterstock.com

Don’t let that $0.60/dozen price tag fool you. Comparatively, a dozen eggs are cheaper these days than 50 years ago. That might explain why cereals (hot and cold), hotcakes, and canned ham were prevalent menu items when making breakfast at home in the 70s.

2. Cup of Coffee

Est. Cost 1970s: $0.25*
Est. Cost 2020s: $2.00*

There’s nothing quite like that first cup of coffee in the morning. The one that slowly transforms you into a ‘normal’ person capable of functioning in the world. As the years have passed, the price of that coveted morning jolt of life has risen considerably. There was a time when you could have bought yourself and three friends each a cup for $1 total.

Cup of Coffee @zebofsweden/Pinterest | ©Ivan Kurmyshov/Shutterstock.com

Those times are long gone. These days, a cup for a buck can be found at gas stations or the occasional donut shop, but the average cup goes for double that. If you’re one of those people who has to have a specialty coffee from Starbucks in the morning, you’ll be paying a little more, of course.

3. Loaf of Bread

Est. Cost 1970s: $0.25*
Est. Cost 2020s: $1.36*

Going back 50 years, it cost the same for a loaf of bread as it did for a cup of coffee — a quarter. However, a loaf of bread goes a lot further than one cup of coffee. Instead of feeding one person’s energy source for a few hours, the bread can provide for that individual for a few days.

Loaf of Bread @cjsdisney4/Pinterest | ©rblfmr/Shutterstock.com

These days, a loaf of bread still won’t cost you that much ($1.36/loaf). In fact, comparatively, the cost of bread has increased less than many either products over the past five decades. Although, if you opt to go with any of the 12-grain upper echelon loaves that companies like Pepperidge Farm offer, the price will be dearer, but that should be expected.

4. Gasoline

Est. Cost 1970s: $0.36/Gallon*
Est. Cost 2020s: $2.17/Gallon*

Are you running low on fuel but avoiding the trip to the pump based on the hope prices will be lowering in the next few days? You’re not alone. That has been the hope of everyday Americans for decades. Especially those who remember getting it for less than fifty cents a gallon.

Gasoline @catawiki/@chevy7672/Pinterest

Finding an Esso station where you could pump fuel for under $2.17/gallon would have been a dream a few years ago. Fast-forward to 2022, and it’s not in the realm of possibility (as of May 2022, the national average is approximately $4.37/gallon. It might be time to reconsider buying a monthly metro pass.

5. Haircut

Est. Cost 1970s: $5*
Est. Cost 2020s: $50*

By 1970, mop tops, beehives, and flipped bobs were beginning to fade out of popularity, and the feathered hair and perms of the disco era still hadn’t made it mainstream. With all of the different hairstyles back then, a trip to the salon would only have cost around $5.

Haircut @boredpanda/@haircutinspirat/Pinterest

Going for a trim these days will cost a lot more than that. There are the occasional places where you might be able to find a stylist willing to give you trim for $20-$30, but most salons and barbers charge closer to $50.

6. Movie Ticket

Est. Cost 1970s: $1.55*
Est. Cost 2020s: $9.50*

Going to the movies was quite different back in 1970. It was the “in” thing to do, and not just amongst high schoolers. Going to the cinema was an experience. The venues were homelier, the tickets were cheaper, and the snacks were, well, they were pretty much the same.

Movie Ticket @savvieolson23/Pinterest | ©Zapp2Photo/Shutterstock.com

A ticket to see M*A*S*H or Love Story would have only set someone back about $1.55 in 1970, compared to the $9.50 it would have been to see a film at an AMC or Odeon theater fifty years later. It seems crazy, but today one large soda would cost the same or more than two tickets, popcorn, two drinks, and some candy back then. Crazy!

7. Gallon of Milk

Est. Cost 1970s: $1.15*
Est. Cost 2020s: $3.18*

Whether in cartons, bottles, or even plastic bags, milk is one of the products that most Americans have in their fridges at all times (unless they’ve recently run out). Before anyone gets nostalgic for the times of yesteryear, when the milk tasted fresher due to its being sourced locally, milk has actually become more affordable.

Gallon of Milk @Temogen/Pinterest | ©The Image Party/Shutterstock.com

The next time a boomer complains about the price of milk “these days”, it wouldn’t hurt to give them a gentle reminder that with inflation, $1.15 in 1970 would have been the equivalent of $8.50 in 2020. All things considered, milk seems like a bit of a steal.

8. Wedding

Est. Cost 1970s: $2,000*
Est. Cost 2020s: $20,300*

Everyone has their own idea of what the perfect wedding should be like. Some people have destination weddings, and others have massive celebrations to which everyone from the municipality is invited. Every wedding has a bill, whether you have a thousand-seat event or an intimate gathering with loved ones.

Wedding @josephpaul/Pinterest | ©pink panda/Shutterstock.com

Weddings in 1970 were every bit as elaborate as weddings in 2020, if not more so, and they didn’t cost as much to organize. One of the most significant cost differentials comes down to the cost of the evening’s entertainment — wedding bands were a relatively new concept and a lot cheaper to hire in 1970.

9. Restaurant Meal (Low End)

Est. Cost 1970s: $5/Person*
Est. Cost 2020s: $20/Person*

Depending on the restaurant one goes to, the price of their meal can vary from incredibly cheap to insanely expensive. On special occasions, the latter is a good option. However, if you and a friend grab a weekly meal together, choosing a less expensive venue for the quad monthly hangouts would be the more economical route.

Restaurant Meal (Low End) @clickusa/Pinterest | ©djile/Shutterstock.com

In 1970, a meal at the weekly catch-up session would cost each diner approximately $5. That would include a dinner and a couple of sodas at a place like Denny’s. The same meal at TGI Friday’s or a similar restaurant would now cost around $20.

10. Pint of Beer

Est. Cost 1970s: $0.86*
Est. Cost 2020s: $4.00*

If you’re at a pub with friends or out to dinner with family, sometimes you feel like getting a pint of beer or two (and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as it’s done responsibly). Certain establishments have daily specials in which the price will be lower, but for the most part, a pint of domestic beer in America is around $4-$5.

Pint of Beer @advintagecom/Pinterest | ©Nitr/Shutterstock.com

50 years ago, you could have gotten a round of Budweisers for you and three other people and paid the bartender a tip for the same price. Oh, the good ole days.

11. Lettuce

Est. Cost 1970s: $0.10/Each*
Est. Cost 2020s: $1.29/lb*

Love it or hate it, lettuce has been a part of meals for centuries. Considered to be nothing but a space-filler by some and a significant food source by others, the leafy vegetable is generally relatively cheap to buy.

Lettuce @ritapetrini/Pinterest | ©Keattikon Yodpech/Shutterstock.com

At the start of the 70s, a head of lettuce was only ten cents. Parts of that head of lettuce would have found their way into ham and cheese or tuna sandwiches, while the rest would have become salad for dinner. When it comes to vegetables that you get the most for your buck out of, at $1.29/lb, lettuce continues to sit near the top of the list.

12. Pair of Jeans

Est. Cost 1970s: $9.95*
Est. Cost 2020s: $69.50*

Denim was not worn by many people in the early part of the 1960s, but by the time the 70s kicked off, denim jackets, shirts, skirts, dresses, shoes, and jeans had become the clothing of hippies (when they wore clothes) and rock and rollers. At about $10 per pair, jeans were just expensive enough that people only bought new ones when their pair had run its course.

Pair of Jeans @dburgy4/Pinterest | ©Alena Ozerova/Shutterstock.com

The average price for a pair of Levi’s in 2020 was approximately $70. Things haven’t changed very over the years in terms of the frequency of denim pant purchases, and when inflation is taken into account, neither has the cost. Only the customers who buy jeans have changed — they’re now much more widespread.

13. Manicure

Est. Cost 1970s: $50*
Est. Cost 2020s: $25*

In the 1970s, everyday folks could afford a manicure once in a while, but because a proper treatment would have cost as much as $50-$60 back then, it was usually just Hollywood starlets and the rich and famous who could afford the luxury.

Manicure @elizntaylor/Pinterestr | ©Lacquertech/Shutterstock.com

Over time, manicures drastically dropped in price, and by 2020 you could find a nail care specialist at a salon who gives top-notch manicures for half the price it would have been 50 years ago. If you’re willing to give it a try yourself, Etsy has a wide selection of manicure sets to choose from.

14. Potatoes

Est. Cost 1970s: $0.09/lb*
Est. Cost 2020s: $0.78/lb*

For breakfast, there are home fries and hash browns. For lunch, folks enjoy a nice side of french fries or potato wedges with their meals. And for dinner, only mashed, roasted, or boiled potatoes will do the trick. No matter which meal is being served, there is always a potato side dish suitable to accompany it — and there has been for centuries.

Potatoes @fineartamerica/Pinterest | ©Denis Pogostin/Shutterstock.com

The $0.78/lb it costs to buy potatoes these days is about on par with what it was in the year following Woodstock, compared with the times that is.