The Good Ol’ Days: Prices From the 1990’s That Will Make You Want to Go Back In Time

The nineties, what a time to be alive. Grunge music was thriving, prices were low, and the world was at a seemingly mellow and innocuous place (comparatively). And did we mention the prices? Looking at the photos of that golden decade is enough to make anyone want to travel back in time. 

If you’re following the trend of this article, then you won’t be surprised that the cost of bread was much (much) cheaper than when it was in the nineties. The average price of bread back then was around $1.29. 

The nineties were also kind to those of us who liked to indulge ourselves in a McDonald’s meal and some french fries. A hamburger? Only $0.89! Or what about the coveted Big Mac? In the nineties they were only around $3.00.

You more than likely do not have mail in this day and age. At least not the fun kind, like opening the mailbox and seeing a letter from a loved one on vacation who just so happened to use a forever stamp.

Milk has been to American households as dollar bills to a wallet. And yet, this has not been able to keep the prices of the famed beverage down. In the nineties, a gallon of milk went for $0.99 to $1.00. Not too bad.

It almost hurts to look at, doesn’t it? This gorgeous throwback of dirt cheap gas prices. What a time to be an American driver! On the road, not a care in the world. Why? Because you can afford to hit the gas and take it all in. 

Back in the golden era of spending (the nineties) you could get one dozen eggs for the beautiful cost of $0.99. You could eat eggs for a week and then some on a buck!

While many of us wouldn’t dream of buying a new car in this day and age (what is so wrong with used?) there was a time when it wasn’t an out of this world notion. Back in the heyday of the American economy, the average price for a car was typically about $9,437-$13,600.

The American Dream was built on the idea that one day you’ll own a home with your beautiful family on your beautiful property and live a sweet and prosperous life. Ahh, what a time. In the nineties the average price to own a home was around $79,100.

In the nineties, one could get an entire pound of apples for $0.99. The average apple weighs between 150 and 250 grams, and there are about 454 grams in a pound. Not too shabby.

You may be surprised to learn that phones from the 90s cost way more than phones today. Back then, a phone like the Simon Personal Communicator cost around $900, which would be worth around $2,100 today. Although the phone came with many functions, we certainly can’t compare it to what phones today can do. 

Anyone paying tuition these days deserves all the respect they can get. In the 90s, people used to pay an average of $3,349 for a public 4-year institution tuition, and for private, around $15,160. Fast forward to today, you will find more people buried in student loans than those who can pay in full.

Bacon is absolutely delicious, but recent prices are making fewer people indulge in this delight. What used to be $1.90 per pound in the 90s has gone up to around $7-$8 per pound. These prices are practically pushing people away because many people often choose not to buy them when they go shopping.

One industry that has grown over the years is the movie industry, and as it continues to grow, you can only expect that prices will go up too. Movie tickets in the past used to cost around $6; now, people need to pay about $11.57- $28 to watch movies. 

Modern-day and the hiking rent craze are making it much harder for people to be able to afford renting houses. In the past, the average rent nationwide was around $447, and now it has gone up to a median rent of $1,879 as of last year.