What $10K Buys You Now vs. 10 Years Ago

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Life has gotten more expensive in the past 10 years — for the most part. Even $10,000 was worth more a decade ago than its current value.

When adjusted for inflation, $10,000 in September 2025 would equate to just $7,326 in September 2015 dollars — the most recent data available — according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There’s no denying $10,000 would’ve stretched farther in 2015 than 2025, but not everything has increased in price.

GOBankingRates compared prices in six different categories to see how much they’ve changed in the past decade. Keep reading to find out what’s gotten more expensive and what is surprisingly cheaper.

Rent

In November 2025, the average rent in the U.S. was $2,000 per month, according to Zillow. Notably cheaper, in November 2015, the average rent in the U.S. was $1,217 per month, per Zillow data.

This means $10,000 would cover five months rent now, but more than eight months’ rent in 2015.

Gasoline

Conventional gasoline in the U.S. cost an average of $2.11 per gallon on Nov. 16, 2015, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. However, gas prices rose to an average of $3.06 per gallon by Nov. 17, 2025.

This means $10,000 would have bought 4,739 gallons of gas in 2015, but only about 3,268 gallons in 2025. Each registered vehicle in the U.S. uses approximately 489 gallons of gas per year — per the American Petroleum Institute — so $10,000 would’ve bought 9.7 years of gas in 2015 dollars, but only 6.7 years of gas in 2025 dollars.

College Tuition

In the 2015-16 school year, the annual cost of tuition and fees at public colleges averaged $8,778 per year, according to the Education Data Initiative. This number increased to an average of $10,340 for the 2025-26 school year.

Therefore, $10,000 would have covered tuition and fees at the average public college in 2015, with $1,222 to spare. Ten years later, the entire $10,000 plus $340 more is needed to cover a year of tuition at the same schools.

Groceries

Following a moderate-cost shopping plan, the average monthly cost of food for a couple — in the 19-to-50 age range — and two children, ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 11 — was $1,066.1 per month in September 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Notably more expensive, it would cost $1,328.10 per month to feed a family in this same age group in September 2025.

In 2015, $10,000 would’ve covered more than nine months of groceries. However, $10,000 only pays for 7.5 months of groceries in 2025.

Super Bowl Tickets

When the Seattle Seahawks played the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX — in 2015 — the average ticket price reached $9,723, according to TicketIQ. Significantly cheaper, the average list price for tickets to Super Bowl LIX was $4,598 in 2025, per TicketIQ.

This is rare occasion when 2025 offered something cheaper. In 2015, $10,000 would only buy one averaged-priced Super Bowl ticket, but in 2025, you would’ve been able to get two average-priced tickets, with $804 leftover.

Plane Tickets

In September 2015, the average plane ticket cost $287.45, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Surprisingly cheaper, the average cost of a plane ticket was $270.34 in September 2025.

Strikingly similar, $10,000 would buy an average of 35 plane tickets in 2015 and an average of 37 plane tickets in 2025.

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