THE GROCERY PRICE INDEX

How much did bread cost in 1988?

Bread averaged $0.61 per lb in 1988 — about $1.73 in 2026 dollars.

Bread price in 1988 Monthly average price (USD per lb) · 1988
$0.58$0.60$0.62$0.64$0.66$0.68JanMarMayJulAugOctDecJan 1988$0.59Dec 1988$0.66basketreport.com

12 monthly observations · Source: BLS series APU0000702111.

In 1988, bread averaged $0.61 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 $0.59 in January to $0.66 in December. Over the year it rose from $0.59 in January to $0.66 in December, a 12.1% increase.

Adjusted for inflation, $0.61 in 1988 is worth about $1.73 in 2026 dollars. Today bread averages $1.83 per lb, so in real terms it is 6% more expensive than it was in 1988. In plain (unadjusted) dollars the price is up 200% versus the 1988 average.

1988 monthly prices

MonthPriceMoM
January $0.59 ▲ 2.6%
February $0.59
March $0.59 ▲ 0.2%
April $0.60 ▲ 1.4%
May $0.60 ▲ 0.5%
June $0.60 ▲ 0.5%
July $0.60 ▲ 0.2%
August $0.62 ▲ 2.8%
September $0.64 ▲ 2.8%
October $0.64 ▲ 0.9%
November $0.65 ▲ 0.5%
December $0.66 ▲ 1.9%
1988 average$0.61

FAQ

What was the average price of bread in 1988?

Bread averaged $0.61 per lb in 1988, based on 12 months of BLS average price data.

How much is $0.61 of 1988 bread worth today?

Adjusted for inflation with the CPI-U, $0.61 in 1988 is about $1.73 in 2026 dollars.

How does the 1988 price of bread compare to now?

Bread now averages $1.83 per lb, up 200% from the 1988 average of $0.61.

Cite this

Plain text
Basket Report. "Bread price in 1988 (U.S. average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved June 26, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/bread/1988/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000702111.
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<a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/bread/1988/">Bread price in 1988 (U.S. average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000702111; retrieved June 26, 2026)
APA
Basket Report. (2026). Bread price in 1988 (U.S. average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/bread/1988/