‘Home Alone’ Money Mystery: How Much Would It Cost for the Big House & Family Vacation to Paris
Written by
Caitlyn Moorhead
Edited by
Gabrielle Olya
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Every year around this time, as people settle into watching their favorite holiday films, there is one big question that always seems to come up without fail: Just what kind of jobs did Kevin McCallister’s parents in “Home Alone” have to be able to afford that sprawling house and take a family of 15 to Paris for the holidays?
It’s become meme fodder, and a question so overanalyzed that conspiracy theories ranging from mob involvement for Peter McCallister to him being a high-priced assassin have been floated. The movie does take place in the one-time mobster mecca of Chicago, so some theories may hold water. On the other hand, there is some information on what the fictional parents may have done to legitimately earn all that money.
As you might recall if you’ve ever seen the 1990 John Hughes’ family classic starring Macaulay Culkin in his breakout role, the McCallister family lives in the wealthy suburbs of the Windy City. The movie begins with the large clan about to embark on an international trip for the holidays, including Uncle Frank and his brood. The ticket prices alone, with or without the first-class markup, from the U.S. to Paris would be astronomical.
So, given what everyone knows about real estate costs and the price of airline tickets, just how much would the McCallister home (along with a Paris vacation) run you, exactly? Let’s find out.
How Rich Was the ‘Home Alone’ Family?
In real life, after being newly renovated, the property used as the 1990 McCallister home in the movie is currently valued at $5.25 million after a sale in 2024. With that in mind, here are some other key takeaways about housing and travel costs back then compared to now:
- According to a Redfin database, the real house where the movie was filmed (at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois) sold for $875,000 in 1989. It sold again in 2012 for $1.58 million.
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- On Kayak, the current cheapest flight flying Dec. 20 and coming home Dec. 26 (from Chicago to Paris) would be about $1,324 for multiple stops and $1,958 for the most direct route. First-class tickets on the same flight would cost $8,528 each.
- This would mean that the family-friendly Christmas trip to Paris would run the McCallisters around $55,650.
So, How Could They Afford It?
When you consider the implied careers the parents had, it would make sense how they might be able to afford it all. ‘Home Alone’ experts have detailed that the novelization for the film, written by Todd Strasser, alludes to the fact that dad Peter is a successful businessman (and possibly a day trader) and mom Kate is a fashion designer. This is how Kevin got all the mannequins he needed in one notable robber-thwarting scene.
Their combined income in the ’90s is estimated to have been around $234,000. Assuming Peter was a top earner, his job would have netted around $200,000 annually at that time, per The Washington Post. Kate’s job would have paid around $34,000 (using the WealthierToday.com inflation calculator to adjust from a current salary of about $77,000 as suggested by Salary.com). In 2024, Peter would probably earn around $328,000 at the top end, per Comparably.
Final Take To GO: ‘Home Alone’ Real Estate and Luxury Travel
The bottom line is that audience members, no matter the film, should expect to have to suspend some disbelief. However, it is interesting — maybe even aspirational — to see how attainable the lifestyle is from some of your favorite childhood movies. Although, once you do the modern-day math, you may find the prices to not be so kid-friendly.
Selena Fragassi contributed to the reporting for this article.
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