THE GROCERY PRICE INDEX

How much did bananas cost in 1996?

Bananas averaged $0.49 per lb in 1996 — about $1.05 in 2026 dollars.

Bananas price in 1996 Monthly average price (USD per lb) · 1996
$0.44$0.46$0.48$0.50$0.52$0.54$0.56JanMarMayJulAugOctDecJan 1996$0.46Mar 1996$0.54Dec 1996$0.48basketreport.com

12 monthly observations · Source: BLS series APU0000711211.

In 1996, bananas averaged $0.49 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 $0.46 in September to $0.54 in March. Over the year it rose from $0.46 in January to $0.48 in December, a 3.9% increase.

Adjusted for inflation, $0.49 in 1996 is worth about $1.05 in 2026 dollars. Today bananas averages $0.65 per lb, so in real terms it is 38% cheaper than it was in 1996. In plain (unadjusted) dollars the price is up 32% versus the 1996 average.

1996 monthly prices

MonthPriceMoM
January $0.46 ▲ 2.0%
February $0.50 ▲ 8.2%
March $0.54 ▲ 7.6%
April $0.51 ▼ 6.3%
May $0.51 ▲ 1.4%
June $0.50 ▼ 2.7%
July $0.50
August $0.48 ▼ 4.0%
September $0.46 ▼ 4.2%
October $0.47 ▲ 1.5%
November $0.48 ▲ 2.6%
December $0.48 ▲ 0.8%
1996 average$0.49

FAQ

What was the average price of bananas in 1996?

Bananas averaged $0.49 per lb in 1996, based on 12 months of BLS average price data.

How much is $0.49 of 1996 bananas worth today?

Adjusted for inflation with the CPI-U, $0.49 in 1996 is about $1.05 in 2026 dollars.

How does the 1996 price of bananas compare to now?

Bananas now averages $0.65 per lb, up 32% from the 1996 average of $0.49.

Cite this

Plain text
Basket Report. "Bananas price in 1996 (U.S. average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved June 26, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/bananas/1996/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000711211.
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<a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/bananas/1996/">Bananas price in 1996 (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 1996 (U.S. average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/bananas/1996/