THE GROCERY PRICE INDEX

How much did bananas cost in 1988?

Bananas averaged $0.42 per lb in 1988 — about $1.19 in 2026 dollars.

Bananas price in 1988 Monthly average price (USD per lb) · 1988
$0.35$0.40$0.45$0.50$0.55JanMarMayJulAugOctDecJan 1988$0.37Jun 1988$0.50Dec 1988$0.41basketreport.com

12 monthly observations · Source: BLS series APU0000711211.

In 1988, bananas averaged $0.42 per lb at the U.S. city average, across all twelve months, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data. The monthly price ranged from $0.37 in January to $0.50 in June. Over the year it rose from $0.37 in January to $0.41 in December, a 8.8% increase.

Adjusted for inflation, $0.42 in 1988 is worth about $1.19 in 2026 dollars. Today bananas averages $0.65 per lb, so in real terms it is 46% cheaper than it was in 1988. In plain (unadjusted) dollars the price is up 54% versus the 1988 average.

1988 monthly prices

MonthPriceMoM
January $0.37 ▼ 0.3%
February $0.42 ▲ 11.0%
March $0.41 ▼ 0.5%
April $0.42 ▲ 2.4%
May $0.42 ▼ 0.2%
June $0.50 ▲ 18.7%
July $0.43 ▼ 13.6%
August $0.40 ▼ 8.3%
September $0.39 ▼ 2.0%
October $0.42 ▲ 8.2%
November $0.42 ▲ 0.5%
December $0.41 ▼ 3.8%
1988 average$0.42

FAQ

What was the average price of bananas in 1988?

Bananas averaged $0.42 per lb in 1988, based on 12 months of BLS average price data.

How much is $0.42 of 1988 bananas worth today?

Adjusted for inflation with the CPI-U, $0.42 in 1988 is about $1.19 in 2026 dollars.

How does the 1988 price of bananas compare to now?

Bananas now averages $0.65 per lb, up 54% from the 1988 average of $0.42.

Cite this

Plain text
Basket Report. "Bananas price in 1988 (U.S. average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved June 26, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/bananas/1988/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000711211.
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<a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/bananas/1988/">Bananas price in 1988 (U.S. average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000711211; retrieved June 26, 2026)
APA
Basket Report. (2026). Bananas price in 1988 (U.S. average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/bananas/1988/