How far did a dollar go?
The Big Mac Index compares countries with one sandwich. This does the same for U.S. history: pick a year, pick a staple, and see the price both in the dollars of the day and adjusted for inflation — then measure your purchasing power in Big Macs instead of dollars.
It was 1985. A Big Mac cost
$1.53est.
1 sandwich · that is $4.72 in 2026 dollars
Your income, measured in Big Macs
"Equivalent salary" deflates today's income by the CPI ratio between 2026 and 1985. It answers whether a Big Mac took a bigger or smaller bite out of a typical paycheck back then, independent of the dollar's overall decline.
Big Mac price, 1967–2026
Nominal sticker price versus the same price restated in 2026 dollars. Where the orange line is flat, the Big Mac merely kept pace with inflation; where it falls, it got cheaper in real terms.
Every item in the index
First documented price to 2026. Click through for year-by-year tables and sources.
- Big Mac 1 sandwich 45¢ (1967) → $6.17 14× since 1967
- Gasoline 1 gallon, regular 33¢ (1967) → $3.87 12× since 1967
- Milk 1 gallon, whole $1.03 (1967) → $4.17 4× since 1967
- Eggs 1 dozen, grade A large 49¢ (1967) → $2.31 4.7× since 1967
- White Bread 1 lb loaf 22¢ (1967) → $1.83 8.3× since 1967
- Ground Coffee 1 lb, 100% ground roast 77¢ (1967) → $9.49 12× since 1967
- Ground Beef 1 lb, 100% beef 55¢ (1967) → $6.79 12× since 1967
- Movie Ticket 1 admission $1.22 (1967) → $11.31 9.3× since 1967
- Postage Stamp 1 first-class letter (1 oz) 5¢ (1967) → 78¢ 16× since 1967
- Coca-Cola 12 oz can, grocery 10¢ (1967) → 85¢ 8.5× since 1967