Buying Power in the Roaring Twenties
The following is a snapshot of buying power in the United States during the Roaring Twenties. Prices varied by region and whether you were in a rural town versus a place like New York City or Chicago, but these are good working estimates for period flavor.
Everyday Items
| 1¢ | A piece of penny candy |
| 2¢ | Newspaper |
| 2¢ | Apple |
| 3¢ | Box of matches |
| 5¢ | Candy bar |
| 5¢ | Cup of Coffee, a Soft Drink |
| 5¢ | Subway fare |
| 5¢ | Short ride in taxi |
| 10¢ | Shoe shined |
| 10¢ | Loaf of bread |
| 5–10¢ | Cheap cigar |
| 5–10¢ | Bottle of milk |
| 15¢ | Pack of cigarettes |
| 15–25¢ | Shot of bathtub gin |
| 25¢ | Movie ticket |
| 10–50¢ | Jazz club admission |
| 25–50¢ | Drink at a speakeasy |
| 25–50¢ | Small lunch at a restaurant |
| 35–50¢ | Dozen eggs, depending on season |
| 25–75¢ | Vaudeville show |
| 50¢ | Haircut |
| $1–2 | Steak dinner |
| $1–3 | Silk stockings |
| $1–3/night | Cheap hotel room |
| $2.50–5 | Men's felt hat |
| $5–25 | Fashionable lady's hat |
| $10–25 | Revolver |
Rent and Wages
| $20–40/month | Weekly rent at cheap apartment |
| $25–35/week | Industrial worker's wage |
Getting Around
| $1–20 | Informant tip (depending on quality) |
| $5–50 | Cop bribe |
Automobiles
| 20–25¢/gallon | Gasoline |
| $260–360 | Ford Model T |
| $1,400–1,800+ | Packard Six |
Historical Note
$1 in 1925 had roughly the buying power of about $18–19 today.
A nickel (5¢) was enough for:
- a Coke
- a candy bar
- streetcar fare
- or a cup of coffee
A brand-new Ford Model T cost roughly 10–12 weeks of a decent worker's wages, which is astonishingly cheap by historical standards.
Prohibition-era liquor prices in illicit markets could get steep:
- imported Scotch: $50–70 per case
- champagne: $80–120 per case
- rye whiskey: around $85 per case