11 Things That Were More Expensive 10 Years Ago Than They Are Today
Although inflationary pricing and rising costs are dramatically affecting many people today, we are better off in some areas.
Dragana Gordic / Shutterrstock Not only have inflationary pressures, rising housing costs, and heightened financial burdens like healthcare wreaked havoc on the average American family in the last several years, but many people are struggling to save, putting their financial futures at risk. An alarming 40% of Americans struggled to pay for basic necessities in 2017 alone, according to a study from the Urban Institute, and unfortunately, that percentage has remained unwaveringly consistent in the past seven years.
Fortunately, there’s a bright side to everything. While essentials and housing costs continue to grow inaccessible for many people, there are several things that were more expensive 10 years ago than they are today, and that can help to provide a bit of a grace for the average person.
Here are 11 things that were more expensive 10 years ago than they are today
1. Laptops
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According to the American Enterprise Institute (“AEI”), the rapid growth of technology over the past decade has been positively impactful for consumer prices, especially for handheld devices and laptops. In 1994, the average laptop sold at Best Buy was priced at $1,998 — or $3,225 in today’s market — while consumers today can get a laptop from the same department for only $200.
Not only are laptops generally cheaper than they were a decade ago, they also work more efficiently. From design, to speed, to disc storage, and performance, people today can take some comfort in knowing that their technology purchases, while they might still be large investments, are generally worth the expenditure.
2. Music
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With the growing popularity of streaming services, free music downloads, and social media, not only is music generally more accessible for people with technology in their homes, it’s more affordable, as well.
With CDs and cassettes ranging from $18 to $25 in the early 2000s, consumers typically spent nearly $50 a month on new music from their favorite artists, while today’s listeners generally only pay between $7 and $12 a month for a “premium” subscription to Spotify or Apple Music. Not only do today’s listeners have more access to music and their favorite artists, they’re better tapped into the healing benefits it can offer, as experts from Harvard Health argue.
3. Calling and texting people
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According to Dennis Peng, a member of the technical advisory board at Ooma, the price of cell phone plans responsible for texting and calling have generally become cheaper over the last decade, as a result of carrier competition and the rapid development of technology in our digital age.
Even for international connections and loved ones, staying connected across the globe is cheaper than ever, with newer platforms like Skype, WhatsApp, and FaceTime to help people chat at long distances from their phones.
Of course, social media and digital connectedness is also partially responsible for the decline in physical community and social spaces, according to Dan Cox, the director of the American Survey Center, further isolating people from the genuine benefits of in-person interactions. So, while the affordability of texting, calling, and interacting with people online is more accessible today, there are certainly pitfalls to the popularity of digital connection over in-person routes.
4. Books
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Depending on the specific genre and format, the average price of purchasing a book has generally decreased over the course of the last decade, even amid inflationary prices and pressures. With alternative options for reading, like subscription-based online libraries and audiobooks, there’s more options for book lovers to read without incredible financial barriers.
Despite generally being cheaper, there are niche formats, like university textbooks, that have seen a dramatic change in the opposite direction. According to a report from Student PIRGs, the average cost of a college textbook rose over 73% since 2006 — with individual textbooks costing anywhere from $200 to $400 for the average student.
5. Gym memberships
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With the rise of commercial gyms like Planet Fitness and Snap Fitness to offset costs of inflation and renting spaces, the average gym membership has slightly decreased over the past decade. In the early 2000s, when privately owned gyms were more popular, memberships were forced to be more expensive to offset the individual costs of repairs, renting, and equipment.
While inflation has contributed to a slight rise in these gym memberships — like Planet Fitness, which raised its monthly cost from $10 to $15 for the first time this year — they’re largely more accessible and affordable for the average person today.
6. International flights
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Despite domestic flights in the U.S. taking an unsettling turn towards inaccessible for the average American, international flights have largely become cheaper in the past decade. Especially with budget airlines like Spirit and Allegiant utilizing low-cost travel models, airline travel is not longer considered a “luxury” to the same extent it was in the 1990s and early 2000.
While vacations and other travel expenses are largely unaffordable, actual flights across the globe have become more universally affordable.
7. Watching movies
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Streaming services and online media platforms aren’t just making music more accessible for the average person, it’s also made watching movies cheaper and more feasible. According to Statista data, the average streaming service costs users between $10 and $23 per month, with an unlimited selection of movies and TV shows to watch.
While Americans a decade ago were forced to go to a traditional theater to see new films or rent DVDs from a video store, today we can watch from the comfort of our own homes, saving not only on typical costs like tickets and rental fees, but also transportation and food.
8. Televisions
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Similar to cell phones and laptops, as technology continues to evolve and grow, prices slowly decline. Despite being more savvy and efficient than televisions a decade or two decades ago, the screens in our living rooms today are much cheaper than they used to be. With competition, changing screen manufacturing, and even “post-purchase monetization” of user data, consumers today are paying much less.
In the early 2000s, the average consumer spent between $500 and $1000 on a television, while consumers today are only spending between $200 and $600. Of course, purchasing technology like a television is still a major expense for many families struggling with basic necessities, but for the growth in efficiency and inflationary pressures, it’s surprising that they’ve maintained a lower average cost.
9. Children’s toys
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According to economic policy expert Eric Boehm at Reason, children’s toys have experienced the effects of deflation over the last few decades, largely due to the cost-saving measures of overseas manufacturing, packaging, and digital alternatives to traditional video games and toys.
For example, a Zelda video game released in 1998, advertised in a Sears catalog, was priced at a hefty $69.99, while today it retails for around $70, despite the effects of inflation on other industries.
10. Calculators
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While physical calculators were largely necessities for people a decade ago, the rise of cell phones and technology in the average household has made accessibility and affordability much better today.
While more complex graphing calculators have been the newest addition for students to purchase, some reports suggest their prices are even beginning to plateau.
11. Clean energy
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According to Lazard, an energy cost tracking company, in their 2023 report, clean energy is much more affordable today, with wind power being 71% cheaper and solar power nearly 90% cheaper than it was in 2009.
Largely influenced by new government regulations, energy policies, accessibility, and technology, our society’s transition towards cleaner energy sources drastically impacts its pricing, especially as it becomes more accessible and approachable to the average consumer.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.