An average movie ticket costs $11.55 in the U.S. as of September 2026. In 1950 it cost $0.46, or $6.40 in today’s dollars. Adjusted for inflation, a ticket costs 80% more today than in 1950.
Price at the time In September 2026 dollars
U.S. average admission, all showtimes. ≈ marks estimates between data points.
| Year | Price | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $0.46 | $6.40 |
| 1951 | ≈$0.48 | ≈$6.18 |
| 1952 | ≈$0.50 | ≈$6.29 |
| 1953 | ≈$0.52 | ≈$6.50 |
| 1954 | ≈$0.54 | ≈$6.77 |
| 1955 | ≈$0.56 | ≈$7.05 |
| 1956 | ≈$0.59 | ≈$7.23 |
| 1957 | ≈$0.61 | ≈$7.29 |
| 1958 | ≈$0.64 | ≈$7.38 |
| 1959 | ≈$0.66 | ≈$7.61 |
| 1960 | $0.69 | $7.82 |
| 1961 | ≈$0.75 | ≈$8.39 |
| 1962 | ≈$0.81 | ≈$9.01 |
| 1963 | ≈$0.88 | ≈$9.64 |
| 1964 | ≈$0.95 | ≈$10.32 |
| 1965 | ≈$1.03 | ≈$11.01 |
| 1966 | ≈$1.12 | ≈$11.57 |
| 1967 | ≈$1.22 | ≈$12.21 |
| 1968 | ≈$1.32 | ≈$12.70 |
| 1969 | ≈$1.43 | ≈$13.06 |
| 1970 | $1.55 | $13.39 |
| 1971 | ≈$1.64 | ≈$13.56 |
| 1972 | ≈$1.73 | ≈$13.88 |
| 1973 | ≈$1.83 | ≈$13.81 |
| 1974 | ≈$1.93 | ≈$13.14 |
| 1975 | ≈$2.04 | ≈$12.73 |
| 1976 | ≈$2.16 | ≈$12.71 |
| 1977 | ≈$2.28 | ≈$12.61 |
| 1978 | ≈$2.41 | ≈$12.39 |
| 1979 | ≈$2.55 | ≈$11.76 |
| 1980 | $2.69 | $10.95 |
| 1981 | ≈$2.81 | ≈$10.38 |
| 1982 | ≈$2.94 | ≈$10.23 |
| 1983 | ≈$3.08 | ≈$10.37 |
| 1984 | ≈$3.22 | ≈$10.40 |
| 1985 | ≈$3.37 | ≈$10.51 |
| 1986 | ≈$3.53 | ≈$10.80 |
| 1987 | ≈$3.69 | ≈$10.90 |
| 1988 | ≈$3.86 | ≈$10.95 |
| 1989 | ≈$4.04 | ≈$10.93 |
| 1990 | $4.23 | $10.85 |
| 1991 | ≈$4.25 | ≈$10.47 |
| 1992 | ≈$4.28 | ≈$10.22 |
| 1993 | ≈$4.30 | ≈$9.98 |
| 1994 | ≈$4.33 | ≈$9.79 |
| 1995 | $4.35 | $9.57 |
| 1996 | ≈$4.54 | ≈$9.71 |
| 1997 | ≈$4.74 | ≈$9.90 |
| 1998 | ≈$4.95 | ≈$10.18 |
| 1999 | ≈$5.16 | ≈$10.39 |
| 2000 | $5.39 | $10.50 |
| 2001 | ≈$5.58 | ≈$10.56 |
| 2002 | ≈$5.78 | ≈$10.77 |
| 2003 | ≈$5.98 | ≈$10.90 |
| 2004 | ≈$6.19 | ≈$10.99 |
| 2005 | $6.41 | $11.00 |
| 2006 | ≈$6.68 | ≈$11.11 |
| 2007 | ≈$6.97 | ≈$11.27 |
| 2008 | ≈$7.26 | ≈$11.31 |
| 2009 | ≈$7.57 | ≈$11.83 |
| 2010 | $7.89 | $12.13 |
| 2011 | ≈$8.00 | ≈$11.92 |
| 2012 | ≈$8.10 | ≈$11.83 |
| 2013 | ≈$8.21 | ≈$11.81 |
| 2014 | ≈$8.32 | ≈$11.78 |
| 2015 | $8.43 | $11.93 |
| 2016 | ≈$8.61 | ≈$12.02 |
| 2017 | ≈$8.79 | ≈$12.02 |
| 2018 | ≈$8.97 | ≈$11.98 |
| 2019 | $9.16 | $12.01 |
| 2020 | $9.37 | $12.15 |
| 2021 | ≈$9.93 | ≈$12.22 |
| 2022 | $10.53 | $11.92 |
| 2023 | $10.78 | $11.83 |
| 2024 | $11.31 | $12.06 |
| 2025 | $11.31 | $11.75 |
| Sep 2026 (latest) | $11.55 | $11.55 |
Among the 2,314 U.S. places with at least 20,000 people, as of September 2026. 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 | $12.72 |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | $12.72 |
| Middletown, NY | $12.72 |
| Newburgh, NY | $12.72 |
| New York, NY | $12.67 |
| North Liberty, IA | $10.63 |
| Altoona, IA | $10.63 |
| Coralville, IA | $10.63 |
| Muscatine, IA | $10.63 |
| Burlington, IA | $10.63 |
National Association of Theatre Owners, annual average ticket price; 2025 from The Numbers.
For cities: 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.
Price of a pack of cigarettes by yearPrice of a hotel room by yearPrice of cable TV by yearMLB ticket prices by year
What everything cost in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020. All prices.