Prices on their own say little about whether life has got dearer. What matters is how much of something a week of pay buys. We divided average weekly pay by the average US price of four everyday items, every month, using public data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Item | Then | Latest | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burgers | 912 (1984) | 652 | −29% |
| Dozen eggs | 265 (1980) | 487 | +84% |
| Gallons of gas | 206 (1980) | 247 | +20% |
| Pounds of coffee | 72 (1980) | 118 | +63% |
How many burgers does a week’s pay buy?
In January 1984, a week of average pay for US non-managers bought 912 quarter-pound burger patties. By September 2026 it bought 652, 29% fewer. Pay rose 276% over those years, while the price of a pound of ground beef rose 426%.
The best point was September 1998, when a week bought 1,326. The worst was April 2026, at 632.
How many dozen eggs does a week’s pay buy?
In January 1980, a week of average pay for US non-managers bought 265 dozen eggs. By September 2026 it bought 487, 84% more. Pay rose 376% over those years, while the price of a dozen eggs rose 158%.
The best point was June 2019, when a week bought 658. The worst was March 2025, at 168.
How many gallons of gas does a week’s pay buy?
In January 1980, a week of average pay for US non-managers bought 206 gallons of gas. By September 2026 it bought 247, 20% more. Pay rose 376% over those years, while the price of a gallon of regular gasoline rose 296%.
The best point was February 1999, when a week bought 480. The worst was July 2008, at 149.
How many pounds of coffee does a week’s pay buy?
In January 1980, a week of average pay for US non-managers bought 72 pounds of coffee. By September 2026 it bought 118, 63% more. Pay rose 376% over those years, while the price of a pound of ground coffee rose 191%.
The best point was December 2019, when a week bought 198. The worst was February 1980, at 72.
What it means for your money
Rising pay does not mean rising buying power: it depends on what you buy. Ground beef is the exception among these four, because its price has outrun pay. The same arithmetic applies to savings. Cash that earns less than prices rise buys less each year, which is why we compare investment returns after inflation.
How we measured it
Pay is average weekly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees in private industry (BLS series CES0500000030, seasonally adjusted), about four in five private-sector workers. Prices are BLS average prices for the US city average: ground beef (APU0000703112), grade A large eggs (APU0000708111), regular gasoline (APU000074714) and ground coffee (APU0000717311). For burgers we count four quarter-pound patties to a pound. Figures are monthly and not adjusted for quality or pack size.