Inflation Reality Check: What $100 Bought 10 Years Ago vs. Today

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Inflation is real. And over the past decade, the prices of goods and services have jumped significantly.

While 2015 might feel like just yesterday — especially to those 40 and older — it was a whole 10 years ago.

And $100 back in 2015 won’t buy nearly the same things as $100 in 2025. Let’s break down what $100 is worth today vs. 10 years ago, and some of the things you could buy for $100 back then compared to today.

What $100 Could Buy 10 Years Ago

In 2015, $100 stretched a lot farther. Using the CPI Inflation Calculator from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, $100 in 2015 had the same purchasing power as roughly $138 in July 2025 — about a 38% difference. This is based on the CPI-U data over the past decade.

Here’s what things used to cost back in 2015:

• Gasoline: A regular gallon of gas averaged about $2.79 in July 2015. Your $100 would buy about 35.8 gallons.
• One dozen eggs: Eggs cost about $2.57 for a dozen Grade A eggs in July 2015. That means $100 bought you 38 dozen eggs, or about 456 eggs.
• Loaf of bread: A standard loaf of white bread cost about $1.45 in July 2015 — meaning you could have bought 69 loaves of bread for $100.
• A gallon of milk: A gallon of milk costs about $3.43 in July 2015, which means you could purchase about 29 gallons with $100.
• Electricity (per kWh): Electricity was around 14.2 cents per kilowatt hour in July 2015. This means you could use about 704 kWh of electricity for $100.

What $100 Can Buy Today

A decade later, your $100 doesn’t stretch nearly as far. Here are comparative prices for what you can buy with $100 today (CPI data as of July 2025):

• Gasoline: A regular gallon of gas averaged about $3.49 in July 2025 — about 25% more expensive. Your $100 would buy about 28 gallons.
• One dozen eggs: Eggs are pricier in 2025, costing about $3.60 for a dozen Grade A eggs — about 40% more expensive. That means $100 would get you about 28 dozen eggs, or about 336 eggs.
• Loaf of bread: A standard loaf of white bread costs about $1.85 in July 2025, about 27% more expensive. This means you could buy about 54 loaves for $100.
• A gallon of milk: A gallon of milk costs about $4.16 in July 2025 — about 21% more expensive. This means you could purchase about 24 gallons for $100.
• Electricity (per kWh): Electricity now runs about 18.9 cents per kilowatt hour — about 33% more expensive. That means you could use about 529 kWh for $100.

Using the consumer price inflation tracker (CPI-U), the data holds up: Prices are about 36% higher than the 2015 annual average. That’s why $100 today feels more like $73 of 2015 buying power.

And while groceries are where most people feel inflation these days, staples like milk and bread are actually less than 30% more expensive — below the overall inflation average over the past 10 years. Eggs, on the other hand, have gotten out of control, climbing 40% higher.

How To Fight Inflation

You can’t control the price of goods and services, but you can control how much inflation hits your wallet. Here are a few tips on fighting inflation and saving money today:

• Relock your fixed costs. Shopping around can save you hundreds per year on certain bills. Getting quotes for auto insurance, cell phone and internet every 12 months can help you save up to $50 to $100 per month. Put renewal dates on your calendar and negotiate before services auto-renew.
• Meal planning. Groceries keep getting more expensive, so combat inflation with a solid meal plan. Buy shelf-stable items in bulk (rice, beans, pasta) when they’re on sale, focus on cheaper proteins (eggs, beans, canned fish), and cut back on restaurants.
• Membership gas over convenience. Use a warehouse club or store gas perks to save 10 cents or more per gallon. Combine your shopping trip to Costco or Walmart with a gas fill-up to spend less overall.
• Quick wins to save on electricity. Cut your power bill by lowering your water-heater setpoint (125 degrees instead of 140), resealing exterior doors, doing laundry during off-hours and switching to LED lights.
• Invest. Investing is one of the only ways to make your money outpace inflation. Low-cost index funds across multiple asset classes help your money grow while keeping fees minimal.
• Avoid lifestyle creep. As tempting as it is to upgrade your lifestyle with raises, bonuses or new jobs, keeping your spending steady will help fight inflation. More money in and less money out is the formula for building wealth.
• Use a budget. Budgeting gives every dollar a job and prevents money from slipping through your fingers. Informed spending decisions are one of the best ways to fight inflation.

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