Did Trump Really Make Life More Affordable? The Real Numbers on Prices, Rent and Groceries
Written by
Kerra Bolton
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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President Donald Trump said in his State of the Union address that prices are coming down and life is more affordable since he returned to office in 2025.
For many people, affordability is measured in grocery receipts, rent payments and whether everyday bills can be paid without strain.
Did prices actually fall since Trump took office last year? Here is what federal data shows about everyday costs, rent and groceries.
Overall Prices
President Trump said his administration’s policies are “rapidly ending” high prices for most Americans, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Federal data shows overall prices are still higher than they were a year ago. The Consumer Price Index rose 2.4% over the past 12 months, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
That means prices have continued to increase compared to last year, not decline.
Core Inflation
Trump said his administration has driven core inflation to its lowest level in more than five years, according to the AP.
Federal data shows core inflation was 2.5% in January 2026. That is down from 3.3% a year earlier. While inflation has cooled from the highs seen in 2022 and 2023, five years ago, core inflation was lower, at 1.4%.
For consumers, that means price increases have slowed, but overall costs remain higher than they were five years ago.
Groceries and Eggs
Trump said egg prices are down 60% and that grocery costs are lower than when he took office.
Federal data shows retail egg prices were 34.2% lower in January 2026 than in January 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prices have fallen from their early 2025 peak, when avian flu disrupted supply.
That is a significant drop, but not 60%.
More broadly, federal food price data shows grocery costs overall remain higher than they were when Trump began his second term, the BLS reported.
Rent
Trump said rent is lower today “by a lot” than when he took office.
Federal Reserve data shows rent has increased instead. The Consumer Price Index for Rent of Primary Residence rose from 429.506 in January 2025 to 441.708 in January 2026.
That works out to about a 2.8% increase over the period. For renters, that means housing costs are higher now than when Trump took office, not lower.
The Bottom Line
President Trump said his administration has made life more affordable and that prices are lower than when he took office.
Federal data shows a more complicated picture. Inflation has slowed, but overall prices are still rising. Core inflation is not at a five-year low. Grocery bills remain higher than they were in early 2025, even though egg prices have dropped from their peak. Rent has increased about 2.8% over the past year.
That means some costs have eased, but everyday expenses have not broadly fallen since Trump took office. For households watching their budgets, affordability has improved in some areas, but not across the board.
Editor’s note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.
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