An expanded basic cable package costs $108 a month in the U.S. as of September 2026. In 1970 it cost $5.00, or $43.21 in today’s dollars. Adjusted for inflation, cable costs 2.5 times as much today as in 1970.
Price at the time In September 2026 dollars
U.S. monthly expanded basic package. ≈ marks estimates between data points.
| Year | Price | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | $5.00 | $43.21 |
| 1971 | ≈$5.27 | ≈$43.63 |
| 1972 | ≈$5.55 | ≈$44.55 |
| 1973 | ≈$5.85 | ≈$44.20 |
| 1974 | ≈$6.17 | ≈$41.95 |
| 1975 | $6.50 | $40.51 |
| 1976 | ≈$6.72 | ≈$39.61 |
| 1977 | ≈$6.95 | ≈$38.47 |
| 1978 | ≈$7.19 | ≈$36.97 |
| 1979 | ≈$7.44 | ≈$34.34 |
| 1980 | $7.69 | $31.29 |
| 1981 | ≈$8.06 | ≈$29.73 |
| 1982 | ≈$8.45 | ≈$29.36 |
| 1983 | ≈$8.86 | ≈$29.81 |
| 1984 | ≈$9.28 | ≈$29.96 |
| 1985 | $9.73 | $30.32 |
| 1986 | ≈$10.85 | ≈$33.19 |
| 1987 | ≈$12.10 | ≈$35.71 |
| 1988 | ≈$13.49 | ≈$38.24 |
| 1989 | ≈$15.05 | ≈$40.69 |
| 1990 | $16.78 | $43.05 |
| 1991 | ≈$17.77 | ≈$43.75 |
| 1992 | ≈$18.82 | ≈$44.97 |
| 1993 | ≈$19.93 | ≈$46.24 |
| 1994 | ≈$21.10 | ≈$47.75 |
| 1995 | $22.35 | $49.17 |
| 1996 | ≈$23.76 | ≈$50.82 |
| 1997 | ≈$25.27 | ≈$52.78 |
| 1998 | ≈$26.86 | ≈$55.26 |
| 1999 | ≈$28.56 | ≈$57.49 |
| 2000 | $30.37 | $59.14 |
| 2001 | ≈$32.32 | ≈$61.18 |
| 2002 | ≈$34.39 | ≈$64.09 |
| 2003 | $36.59 | $66.68 |
| 2004 | ≈$38.81 | ≈$68.89 |
| 2005 | $41.17 | $70.68 |
| 2006 | ≈$43.82 | ≈$72.88 |
| 2007 | ≈$46.65 | ≈$75.45 |
| 2008 | $49.65 | $77.32 |
| 2009 | ≈$51.99 | ≈$81.27 |
| 2010 | $54.44 | $83.69 |
| 2011 | ≈$57.58 | ≈$85.84 |
| 2012 | ≈$60.90 | ≈$88.93 |
| 2013 | $64.41 | $92.69 |
| 2014 | ≈$66.68 | ≈$94.46 |
| 2015 | $69.03 | $97.66 |
| 2016 | ≈$71.90 | ≈$100 |
| 2017 | ≈$74.89 | ≈$102 |
| 2018 | $78.00 | $104 |
| 2019 | ≈$81.90 | ≈$107 |
| 2020 | $86.00 | $112 |
| 2021 | ≈$89.91 | ≈$111 |
| 2022 | $94.00 | $106 |
| 2023 | $98.00 | $108 |
| 2024 | $102 | $109 |
| 2025 | $105 | $109 |
| Sep 2026 (latest) | $108 | $108 |
Among the 2,314 U.S. places with at least 20,000 people, as of September 2026. Partly scaled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the metro area, or the rural part of the state outside metros.
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $112 |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | $112 |
| Middletown, NY | $112 |
| Newburgh, NY | $112 |
| New York, NY | $111 |
| North Liberty, IA | $105 |
| Altoona, IA | $105 |
| Coralville, IA | $105 |
| Muscatine, IA | $105 |
| Burlington, IA | $105 |
FCC reports on cable industry prices through 2015. Other years are estimates.
For cities: Partly scaled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the metro area, or the rural part of the state outside metros.
Each year shows the U.S. figure at midyear. Years marked ≈ fall between this series’ data points and are estimated by smooth interpolation between them. Today’s dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). How it works.
Movie ticket prices by yearPrice of a pack of cigarettes by yearPrice of a hotel room by yearMLB ticket prices by year
What everything cost in 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020. All prices.