A pound each of white bread, sliced ham and American cheese costs $13.60 in the U.S. as of September 2026. In 1950 it cost $1.24, or $17.25 in today’s dollars. Adjusted for inflation, the sandwich groceries costs 21% less today than in 1950.
Price at the time In September 2026 dollars
U.S. 1 lb white bread, 1 lb sliced ham, 1 lb American cheese. ≈ marks estimates between data points.
| Year | Price | In today’s dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $1.24 | $17.25 |
| 1951 | ≈$1.27 | ≈$16.38 |
| 1952 | ≈$1.30 | ≈$16.41 |
| 1953 | ≈$1.33 | ≈$16.69 |
| 1954 | ≈$1.37 | ≈$17.10 |
| 1955 | $1.40 | $17.52 |
| 1956 | ≈$1.43 | ≈$17.61 |
| 1957 | ≈$1.46 | ≈$17.40 |
| 1958 | ≈$1.49 | ≈$17.27 |
| 1959 | ≈$1.52 | ≈$17.44 |
| 1960 | $1.55 | $17.56 |
| 1961 | ≈$1.58 | ≈$17.71 |
| 1962 | ≈$1.61 | ≈$17.86 |
| 1963 | ≈$1.64 | ≈$17.95 |
| 1964 | ≈$1.67 | ≈$18.05 |
| 1965 | $1.70 | $18.10 |
| 1966 | ≈$1.78 | ≈$18.37 |
| 1967 | ≈$1.86 | ≈$18.71 |
| 1968 | ≈$1.95 | ≈$18.81 |
| 1969 | ≈$2.04 | ≈$18.67 |
| 1970 | $2.14 | $18.49 |
| 1971 | ≈$2.32 | ≈$19.20 |
| 1972 | ≈$2.51 | ≈$20.16 |
| 1973 | ≈$2.72 | ≈$20.57 |
| 1974 | ≈$2.95 | ≈$20.08 |
| 1975 | $3.20 | $19.94 |
| 1976 | ≈$3.44 | ≈$20.29 |
| 1977 | ≈$3.70 | ≈$20.49 |
| 1978 | ≈$3.98 | ≈$20.49 |
| 1979 | ≈$4.29 | ≈$19.79 |
| 1980 | $4.61 | $18.76 |
| 1981 | ≈$4.76 | ≈$17.55 |
| 1982 | ≈$4.91 | ≈$17.06 |
| 1983 | ≈$5.07 | ≈$17.06 |
| 1984 | ≈$5.23 | ≈$16.88 |
| 1985 | $5.40 | $16.83 |
| 1986 | ≈$5.59 | ≈$17.09 |
| 1987 | ≈$5.78 | ≈$17.06 |
| 1988 | ≈$5.98 | ≈$16.95 |
| 1989 | ≈$6.19 | ≈$16.73 |
| 1990 | $6.40 | $16.42 |
| 1991 | ≈$6.50 | ≈$15.99 |
| 1992 | ≈$6.60 | ≈$15.76 |
| 1993 | ≈$6.70 | ≈$15.54 |
| 1994 | ≈$6.80 | ≈$15.38 |
| 1995 | $6.90 | $15.18 |
| 1996 | ≈$7.07 | ≈$15.13 |
| 1997 | ≈$7.25 | ≈$15.15 |
| 1998 | ≈$7.44 | ≈$15.30 |
| 1999 | ≈$7.63 | ≈$15.35 |
| 2000 | $7.82 | $15.23 |
| 2001 | ≈$7.99 | ≈$15.12 |
| 2002 | ≈$8.16 | ≈$15.21 |
| 2003 | ≈$8.34 | ≈$15.19 |
| 2004 | ≈$8.52 | ≈$15.12 |
| 2005 | $8.70 | $14.94 |
| 2006 | ≈$8.87 | ≈$14.75 |
| 2007 | ≈$9.05 | ≈$14.63 |
| 2008 | ≈$9.22 | ≈$14.36 |
| 2009 | ≈$9.40 | ≈$14.70 |
| 2010 | $9.59 | $14.74 |
| 2011 | ≈$9.75 | ≈$14.53 |
| 2012 | ≈$9.91 | ≈$14.47 |
| 2013 | ≈$10.07 | ≈$14.49 |
| 2014 | ≈$10.23 | ≈$14.50 |
| 2015 | $10.40 | $14.71 |
| 2016 | ≈$10.37 | ≈$14.49 |
| 2017 | ≈$10.35 | ≈$14.16 |
| 2018 | ≈$10.32 | ≈$13.79 |
| 2019 | $10.30 | $13.51 |
| 2020 | $10.54 | $13.67 |
| 2021 | $10.90 | $13.41 |
| 2022 | $12.30 | $13.92 |
| 2023 | $12.57 | $13.80 |
| 2024 | $12.75 | $13.60 |
| 2025 | $13.10 | $13.61 |
| Sep 2026 (latest) | $13.60 | $13.60 |
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 | $14.62 |
| Poughkeepsie, NY | $14.62 |
| Middletown, NY | $14.62 |
| Newburgh, NY | $14.62 |
| New York, NY | $14.58 |
| North Liberty, IA | $12.78 |
| Altoona, IA | $12.78 |
| Coralville, IA | $12.78 |
| Muscatine, IA | $12.78 |
| Burlington, IA | $12.78 |
BLS average retail prices for white bread, sliced ham and American cheese.
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 dozen eggs by yearPrice of a gallon of milk by yearCost of Thanksgiving dinner by yearBig Mac price by year
What everything cost in 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020. All prices.