What's Inflated ↑

Netflix just hiked every U.S. plan — ad-supported to $8.99, standard ad-free to $19.99, premium to $26.99 — with extra-member fees moving to $6.99 and $9.99. It is the second broad increase in just over a year.

ABA therapy for autism now runs $75 to $250+ per hour depending on where you live, with intensive monthly bills reaching $22,000 in high-cost states. Here is how costs break down by state, provider level, and insurance coverage in 2026.

Home prices are up 55% since 2019. 278 metros dropped this year, but the average correction is just $7,800. The market isn't crashing — it's barely flinching.

We are now 24 days into the Iran war, and U.S. gas prices have jumped from $2.85 to $3.79 nationally since January. Here is how fast prices moved by state and what other inflation effects are likely next.

Wholesale inflation surged in February — headline PPI 3.4% year-over-year vs. 2.9% expected, core PPI 3.9% vs. 3.7%. Core is at its highest since February 2023. This data does not include the Iran conflict. Rate cuts are being priced out.

Uranium is up 202%. Tin is up 86%. Copper is up 65%. The raw materials that build everything from homes to electronics have surged since 2019 — and it's showing up in the price of everything you buy.

Abilene jumped 30%. Monroe jumped 26%. These 20 cities saw the biggest year-over-year rent increases from January 2025 to January 2026 — and almost all of them are small towns that were supposed to stay cheap.

Eggs, rent, home prices, ground beef, gas, insurance — how much has each one actually changed since 2019? We put all 15 indexes on a single chart so you can see the full picture at a glance.

Buy a house ASAP or rent and invest the difference? We used real home price and rent data across all 50 states to settle the debate — and the answer depends entirely on your zip code.

The Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation moved in the wrong direction in January — and that was before a war in the Persian Gulf started pushing oil prices higher. Core PCE ticked up to 3.1%; the Fed is effectively handcuffed heading into its March meeting.

Even the cities with the biggest rent crashes are still charging dramatically more than before the pandemic. Austin is down 12.6% from peak — and still up 15% from 2019. There is no major U.S. city where rent in 2026 is cheaper than it was in 2019.

The average American household spent $278.50/month on streaming and connected TV in 2025. Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and the rest have raised prices again and again — here's every tier and how much they've gone up since the streaming wars began.

We were supposed to be in the roaring twenties. Instead we're dragged into another Middle East fiasco — and the pump writes the headline first.

Crude jumped about 20% since Friday's close and is flirting with $109. The U.S. barely imports Persian Gulf oil — so why do pump prices still rise? Global oil plumbing, one price, and what to expect at the pump and beyond.

The Iran conflict is pushing U.S. gas prices higher. The national average is $3.32/gal, up about 34¢ in a week; Midwest and South are rising fastest while the Gulf Coast stays cheapest.

We compared the same Walmart grocery and snack carts—same items—from September 2022 to March 2026. Some things got cheaper. Many got a lot more expensive. Here's what the data shows.

Auto insurance, phone, internet, streaming, gym, bank fees, and more—these recurring bills creep up or go unused. Here's exactly what to check once a year and how to act on it.

Supply chain. Putin. Greed. Wages. Everyone has a villain. Milton Friedman had one: the government. He was right.

The iPad at the register. Three buttons. You just wanted a muffin. You're not even eating in. Why does the screen want 20%?

AI and data centers are driving a historic surge in power demand. Here's the concrete data: how much bills could rise, which regions get hit hardest, and why your electricity bill is no longer just tracking inflation.

Vet bills up 47% since 2019, pet food up 25%+, and half of owners skipping care because of cost. The pet economy has ballooned to $157 billion — and your wallet feels every dollar.

Egg prices surged to $6.23/dozen in 2025, then fell to $2.58 in 2026. Here's why they spiked, why they've come down, and why they're still 84% above 2019.

Ground beef has climbed 79% since 2017 to $6.75/lb. Unlike eggs, there's been no correction. The cattle cycle, drought, and structural costs explain why — and when relief could come.

Your year in prices. We ran every major thing you pay for through the data—homes, rent, cars, tuition, childcare, electric, gas, groceries, restaurants, healthcare, and more. Here’s where 2025 actually ended.

The items you buy most often are the ones that sting the most. Eggs and coffee lead our 'Small Pain' Index — everyday purchases where inflation is impossible to ignore.

Fast food was supposed to be the cheap option. But with combo meals pushing $12-15, cooking at home has become the clear budget winner again.

Your streaming bill has crept up $30-50/month over five years as every service raised prices and added ad tiers. The era of cheap streaming is over.

Auto insurance is up 22% year-over-year and home insurance is surging in disaster-prone states. We explain the structural forces behind the premium shock.

Nominal wages are up, but after adjusting for inflation, most workers have barely broken even. Lower-income households are falling further behind.

Health insurance premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs keep rising faster than wages. The average family now spends $24,000/year on healthcare.

Childcare costs now rival rent in many markets, averaging $1,200-$2,000/month per child. The staffing crisis is making it worse.

Same price, smaller package. Shrinkflation is rampant across grocery aisles and most shoppers don't notice until they read the fine print.

America is short 3-5 million homes. Until we build more, housing costs will keep climbing. We dig into why construction can't keep up.

Menu prices are up 25%+ since 2019, and tipping expectations have expanded to 20-25%. The full cost of eating out has never been higher.

The federal minimum wage has been $7.25 since 2009. State minimums range up to $16.28, but even the highest ones just match 1968's purchasing power.

We rank every major spending category by cumulative price increase since 2020. Auto insurance leads at +55%. The results reveal where households are truly squeezed.

Insurance costs are surging, but you're not helpless. Comparison shopping, higher deductibles, and bundling can save hundreds per year.