Cost of Living / Average Prices Calculator
Live US average prices for everyday goods — and what your monthly basket really costs now versus a year ago.
Current US average prices
Live from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · May 2026. Set how much you buy each month to price your basket.
Your monthly basket
$6,377 per year
Change vs last year
same basket, year ago
Extra per month
vs a year ago
This basket of everyday goods costs about $531/month at today's national average prices — roughly $831 more per year than 12 months ago. Overall consumer prices are up 4.2% over the same period.
How it works
We pull the latest US city-average prices for common goods from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, show each one's 12-month change, and let you set how much you buy each month. Multiplying your quantities by current prices gives your basket cost; doing the same with each item's year-ago price shows how much your basket has inflated.
Good to know
- These are national city-average prices — actual prices vary a lot by region and store.
- Some items (eggs, gasoline) are volatile and can swing double digits in a year; staples like bread move more slowly.
- The basket total is a personalized illustration, not the official CPI, which weights hundreds of categories.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a gallon of gas cost right now?
The current US city-average price is about $4.65 per gallon of regular gasoline, up 40.7% over the past year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2026).
How much do eggs cost?
A dozen grade-A large eggs averages about $2.19 nationally, down 51.8% from a year ago. Egg prices swing sharply with bird-flu outbreaks and feed costs.
Where do these prices come from?
They are the official US city-average prices from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Average Price Data program — the same survey that feeds the Consumer Price Index. They are national averages, so your local prices will differ.
What is the difference between this and the inflation rate?
Inflation (CPI) measures the percentage change in a broad basket of prices over time. This tool shows the actual dollar prices of specific everyday goods and how each has changed, which is often more tangible than a single inflation percentage.
How current is the data?
Prices are refreshed from BLS each month; this page reflects the May 2026 release. Re-running our data sync updates every figure.