What a Dollar Bought in the 1960s — and What It Costs Now

Growing up in the 1960s, a dollar could buy quite a lot. In fact, many of us could treat ourselves to several items with just our weekly allowance. Let’s take a nostalgic look at 20 everyday items that cost less than a dollar back then, and prepare yourself for some serious sticker shock when you see today’s prices.

1. Movie Ticket: 35¢ Then, $12.50 Now

Saturday matinees were the highlight of our weekends. For 35 cents, you got a feature film, cartoons, and newsreels. Today, you’re lucky to find a matinee under $12.50, and that’s before the popcorn and drinks that now cost more than an entire family night out did back then.

2. Gallon of Gas: 31¢ Then, $3.50 Now

Fill ‘er up! Gas station attendants would clean your windshield and check your oil while filling your tank for pennies per gallon. Three dollars would fill most car tanks. Today, you might need a small loan just to keep your car running for a week.

3. Loaf of Bread: 20¢ Then, $3.99 Now

A fresh loaf of white bread cost just two dimes. Mom could make sandwiches for the whole family’s lunches without breaking the bank. Today, artisanal bread can run you $6 or more, and even basic sandwich bread is pushing $4.

4. Comic Book: 12¢ Then, $4.99 Now

Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man adventures could be yours for just 12 cents. We’d spend hours at the drugstore comic rack, selecting our weekly reads. Now, basic comics start at $4.99, with special editions costing much more.

5. Candy Bar: 5¢ Then, $1.50 Now

A nickel bought you a Hershey bar or a pack of gum. You could get 20 candy bars for a dollar! Today’s candy bars are smaller despite costing 30 times more. Even the “fun size” bars cost more than full-size ones did back then.

6. Hamburger: 25¢ Then, $5.99 Now

A quarter got you a basic hamburger at most diners and drive-ins. McDonald’s hamburgers were even cheaper at 15 cents. Today, fast-food burgers start around $2, with restaurant burgers easily hitting $12 or more.

7. Postage Stamp: 5¢ Then, 66¢ Now

Sending a letter cost just a nickel, and postcards were even cheaper. We wrote letters regularly because long-distance calls were expensive. Now, a first-class stamp costs 66 cents, though ironically, we send fewer letters than ever.

8. Phone Call: 10¢ Then, $1.00 Now

A dime in a payphone got you a local call. Phone booths were everywhere, and that dime could save you in an emergency. Today, payphones are practically extinct, and if you find one, it’ll cost you at least a dollar.

9. Coffee: 25¢ Then, $3.50 Now

A cup of diner coffee with unlimited refills cost a quarter. It wasn’t fancy, but it got the job done. Now, basic drip coffee starts at $2, and specialty coffee drinks can easily exceed $6.

10. Ice Cream Cone: 15¢ Then, $3.99 Now

A single scoop ice cream cone was a favorite summer treat at 15 cents. Even with sprinkles, you’d get change from a quarter. Today’s basic ice cream cones start around $4, with premium shops charging $6 or more.

11. Soda: 10¢ Then, $1.99 Now

A bottle of Coca-Cola from the corner store vending machine cost just a dime. The machines even had bottle openers built right in! Now, you can’t even get a small fountain drink for less than $2, and those glass bottles are considered premium items.

12. School Lunch: 35¢ Then, $3.50 Now

A complete school lunch with milk, main course, vegetables, and dessert cost just 35 cents. Parents could give their kids a couple of dollars on Monday to cover the entire week. Today’s school lunches, while subsidized, still cost parents significantly more.

13. Baseball: 75¢ Then, $5.99 Now

A decent baseball cost less than a dollar, and we’d play with it until the cover literally came off. Now, a basic baseball costs around $6, and premium ones can run $15 or more. No wonder kids aren’t playing pickup games as much anymore.

14. Notebook: 25¢ Then, $3.99 Now

Back-to-school shopping was affordable when notebooks cost a quarter. A dollar would get you enough supplies for half the school year. Today’s “basic” notebooks start at $4, and don’t get me started on the price of those fancy composition books.

15. Bus Fare: 20¢ Then, $2.75 Now

Public transportation was truly public when it cost just 20 cents to ride across town. Students and seniors paid even less. Now, basic bus fare in most cities starts at $2.75, with subway rides often costing more.

16. Pack of Gum: 5¢ Then, $1.29 Now

A nickel bought you a pack of Wrigley’s with five sticks of gum. It was fresh, flavorful, and lasted all afternoon. Today’s gum packs cost over a dollar and somehow seem to lose their flavor faster.

17. Daily Newspaper: 7¢ Then, $2.50 Now

The daily paper cost just 7 cents, and the Sunday edition with all its colorful comics was just a quarter. Now, if you can even find a print newspaper, it’ll cost you at least $2.50, with Sunday editions running $5 or more.

18. Hot Dog: 25¢ Then, $3.99 Now

A quarter got you a hot dog with all the fixings from a street vendor or at the ballpark. Now, stadium hot dogs can cost upwards of $7, and even street vendors charge $4 for a basic dog.

19. Milk (Gallon): 49¢ Then, $4.50 Now

A gallon of fresh milk, often delivered right to your door, cost less than 50 cents. The milkman would even take away your empty bottles for reuse. Today, that same gallon costs nearly ten times as much, and home delivery is a luxury service.

20. Pack of Baseball Cards: 5¢ Then, $5.99 Now

A nickel got you a pack of baseball cards complete with that pink, hard-as-rock bubble gum. We’d trade cards for hours, building our collections. Today’s basic packs start at $6, and premium cards can cost hundreds per pack – and they don’t even come with gum anymore!