I Asked ChatGPT To Compare Everyday Expenses From 2019 to 2026 — Here’s What Changed
Written by
Laura Bogart
Edited by
Kristen Mae
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A lot can change in seven years — especially the seven years between 2019 and 2026. Between a global pandemic, shifts in presidential administrations, and dramatic changes in the global economy, many people have seen major differences in everyday expenses since 2019.
These changes can feel almost too vast to fully grasp. So I turned to ChatGPT, asking the AI to compare everyday expenses from 2019 to 2026. With that insight, I also wanted to understand what middle-class families like mine could do to manage these changes successfully.
Food Costs
If the price of eggs has you worried that you’re not bringing home enough bacon, you’re not alone. Food costs have climbed sharply. ChatGPT divided these increases into two categories: food at home (groceries) and food away from home, including restaurants and prepared meals.
“A bundle of grocery items that cost $20 in 2019 would cost about $31.05 in 2026 — a roughly 31% increase in buying power needed for the same items,” ChatGPT said.
Dining out has seen similar increases. Broader food inflation has pushed prices about 30% higher by 2025, with restaurant prices still rising faster than grocery prices in early 2026.
Housing and Shelter
This news won’t shock anyone who has tried to rent an apartment or buy a home recently.
“Rent and home-related costs have climbed faster than general inflation,” ChatGPT said. “Rent for a primary residence is up about 30% since 2019.”
While home prices and mortgage rates have fluctuated, shelter remains one of the most significant and unavoidable cost increases for renters and homeowners alike — and one of the hardest expenses to cut.
Transportation and Auto Costs
For many, car ownership symbolizes personal and financial freedom — a reliable way to get to work, school and essential errands. But owning and maintaining a car has become more expensive.
ChatGPT highlighted several ways daily transportation costs have risen:
- Motor vehicle insurance is up about 56% since 2019, making it “one of the largest increases of everyday categories.”
- Vehicle maintenance and repair costs are up roughly 49%.
- Prices for used cars and trucks have increased about 34 to 35% from pre-pandemic levels, despite easing from their 2022 peak.
“Even if fuel prices have fluctuated, insurance, car payments and upkeep are significantly costlier,” ChatGPT said.
Utilities and Home Services
Wherever you live, you need to keep the lights on. Over the past seven years, utility and home service costs — some of the most consistent household expenses — have risen notably.
“Utility gas service costs climbed nearly 49%, and electricity prices rose roughly 40% to 45% in the same period,” ChatGPT said.
Unlike discretionary spending, utilities offer limited flexibility, making these increases particularly painful for families already stretched by higher housing and food costs.
How Middle-Class Families Can Handle Rising Expenses
Understanding where everyday costs have increased the most is only part of the equation. Equally important is figuring out how families can adapt, especially since prices are unlikely to return to 2019 levels.
Attack the Biggest Monthly Bills First
ChatGPT emphasized focusing on the expenses that move the needle most.
For example, shop for lower home, renters, or car insurance annually. Negotiate lower rent at lease renewal when possible, pursue safe-driver or bundling discounts, and enroll in budget billing programs with utility providers to smooth seasonal spikes.
Embrace an ‘Audit and Cancel’ Mindset
Reviewing and cutting unnecessary recurring expenses remains one of the simplest ways to reclaim cash flow. ChatGPT suggests auditing items such as:
- Streaming services
- Subscriptions
- App renewals
- Gym memberships
- Premium phone plans
“Many families find $100 to $400 a month in unused or overlapping services,” the AI said.
Make Smart Spending and Saving a Family Affair
As parents adjust their budgets, many also want to teach their kids to manage money — not just to navigate today’s price spikes, but to build family habits that last well beyond the next seven years. The challenge: reaching a digital-first generation.
Kids today are far more likely to use online banking and apps than cash envelopes or piggy banks. Leaning into that reality can help families turn everyday spending into real-world financial lessons.
There’s also a more immediate benefit: when kids understand why choices have to be made, it can ease some of the financial pressure on parents right now. When everyone in the household has a clearer picture of how much things cost — and what saying “yes” to one purchase means for something else — conversations about spending tend to become more collaborative and less stressful.
The popular money app Cash App, for example, offers a “Families” feature that lets parents sponsor teen accounts, giving kids hands-on experience using debit cards, saving money, sending funds and even investing — all with built-in oversight and real-time transaction visibility for parents.
Using these tools together can help kids see money as a limited resource, not an unlimited tap, which can naturally reduce impulse spending and repeated asks. That shared understanding can make higher prices easier to manage in the short term, while giving parents and kids plenty of opportunities to have honest conversations about money, budgeting and smart spending — skills that will serve them for years to come.
The Bottom Line
To paraphrase Bob Dylan, the times really have been a-changin’ over the past seven years. Everyday expenses like food, housing, transportation and utilities have risen substantially since 2019, reshaping how families budget and plan.
While higher prices may be the new normal, thoughtful adjustments, from cutting recurring costs to embracing smarter money habits as a family, can help families stay resilient and better prepared for whatever the next seven years bring.
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