A dollar today is worth about 55 cents compared to the year 2000. Cumulative inflation between 2000 and 2024 is approximately 82%. What cost $100 then costs around $182 now.

We all know inflation exists, but it hits differently when you look at the specific things you buy every day.

The basics: Fast food, gas, and movies

  • Big Mac: Cost $2.24 in 2000. By 2024, it hit $5.69. The burger didn't get better, but it got 2.5× more expensive.
  • Gasoline: Averaged $1.51 a gallon in 2000. In 2024, the national average hovered around $3.30.
  • Movie ticket: Cost $5.39 in 2000. Today, it's about $11.31—and that's before IMAX fees or the large soda that now costs more than a 2000s movie ticket.

Where it hit hardest: The big stuff

  • Housing: The median US home price was $139,000 in 2000. By 2024, it rocketed to $407,500. Home prices massively outpaced general inflation, making the "just buy a house" advice generationally loaded.
  • College tuition: In-state tuition at a public four-year university went from $3,500 in 2000 to over $11,260 in 2024. It more than tripled.
  • Streaming: Netflix launched at $7.99/month in 2007. By 2024, the standard ad-free plan pushed $17.99, complete with account-sharing crackdowns.

The invisible tricks: Shrinkflation & Skimpflation

Companies found ways to hide inflation without changing the price tag.

Shrinkflation makes the package smaller. Toblerone widens the gaps between chocolate peaks, Pringles cans get lighter, and paper towel rolls get narrower. Skimpflation lowers the quality. Companies use cheaper ingredients, thinner fabrics, or cut hotel housekeeping.

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You pay the same price, but you get less product or worse service. Neither trick shows up cleanly in official inflation metrics, which is why your grocery bill feels worse than the reported CPI.

Technology is the outlier

Tech actually got cheaper. The original 4GB iPhone cost $499 in 2007 (about $760 today). An iPhone 15 cost $799 and does 100 times more. On a capability-per-dollar basis, TVs, computers, and phones are massive bargains.

But it's a harsh trade-off: the necessities (housing, education, food) got aggressively expensive, while the nice-to-haves (electronics) got cheap.

Run your own numbers

Inflation isn't linear, and it doesn't hit everyone equally. You can run the numbers for your own situation with the Inflation Tracker. Enter any amount and base year to see the equivalent purchasing power in today's dollars, alongside concrete product comparisons.