These things are now WAY too expensive!
Alright. So the current inflation rate has now reached 3.4%, which is higher than the Fed’s longstanding target of 2%, but way more forgiving than a couple of years ago when it spiked to 40-year highs and approached double-digits. Let’s be honest, that was a brutal period of sticker shock, with gas prices that made your eyes water and grocery bills that looked like a typo. While things have calmed down from that fever pitch, don’t break out the champagne just yet.
However, prices don’t seem to be cooling evenly, and there are still some products and services that are getting increasingly more expensive. Many others cost way more than they did a few years ago, even if their prices are now holding steadier than ever before. It’s a frustrating landscape where some costs retreat while others continue their relentless climb, making budgeting feel like a game of whack-a-mole. So we wanted to make a breakdown of all the products that got more expensive in 2024, in case you didn’t have a clear reason to get angry today. You’re welcome!
A trip to Disneyland
Disney’s California theme park has recently announced another round of parkwide price increases. Whether you knew this or not, the one came right about this time the year before. This seemingly annual tradition of price hikes has become as predictable as the holiday decorations on Main Street, U.S.A. We’re talking day passes, multi-day passes, park-hopper tickets, and even annual passes, parking, and hotel valet services. All of these are now more expensive, with huge increases topping the 10% threshold. Even the cost of the line-skipping Genie+ service continues to creep up, meaning you’re paying more just for the privilege of waiting less. The magic, it seems, comes with an ever-inflating price tag.
A visit to Disney World
Well, it’s not just Disney’s SoCal location. The flagship park in Orlando also spiked annual pass prices by 10%, where the most expensive Incredi-Pass now sells for $1,449. That’s a serious chunk of change, and it doesn’t even account for the blockout dates. It’s a far cry from the days when an annual pass felt like an affordable luxury for dedicated fans. Adding insult to injury, many of the perks that once softened the blow of high prices, like the free Magical Express airport shuttle, have been discontinued, leaving families to foot yet another bill for their “magical” vacation.
Airfare
Whether you decide to visit Disneyland or not, you should expect to pay around 10% more to fly than you would have before the pandemic, and that’s because of high fuel costs, a labor shortage, fewer flights, and strong customer demand. This perfect storm of factors means finding a bargain on flights requires more luck than ever. The “labor shortage” isn’t just a buzzword; it translates to fewer pilots, flight attendants, and ground crew, leading to more cancellations and delays on top of the higher ticket prices. And let’s not forget the endless ancillary fees for baggage, seat selection, and even carry-ons, which can easily add another hundred dollars or more to your “final” price.
Hotels
In 2023, the average U.S. hotel room rate became 17% higher than in 2019 and 38% higher than when rates were much lower during pandemic-era shutdowns. So, what does this mean in real terms? A room that might have cost you $150 a night pre-pandemic is now likely closer to $175 or more, and that’s before taxes and those infuriating, often mandatory, “resort fees.” To make matters worse, many hotels have cut back on services like daily housekeeping, citing pandemic-era protocols, yet the prices reflect a premium experience you’re no longer receiving. You’re paying more to get less.
P2P Rentals
If the rising cost of hotel rooms doesn’t appeal to you, don’t expect to find relief with p2p rentals. The cost of Airbnb bookings increased by 36% between 2019 and 2023, which is twice the hotel inflation over the same period of time. The dream of a cheap, local-style stay has been replaced by a reality of exorbitant cleaning fees that can rival the cost of a one-night stay, plus a laundry list of service fees and taxes. On top of it all, many hosts now present guests with a list of checkout chores, leaving you wondering why you’re paying a cleaning fee to do the cleaning yourself.
Camping
At the end of 2023, the campsite booking app The Dyrt conducted a survey, and they discovered that half of all campsites raised the rates in 2022, and another half planned to do so at the end of 2023. There’s more: over a quarter raised their rates in both years. The simple, affordable escape into nature is becoming a premium activity. The surge in demand, as people sought alternatives to pricey hotels and flights, has given campsite operators the leverage to increase prices significantly. Now, just booking a patch of dirt to pitch a tent can feel as competitive and expensive as booking a hotel room in a major city.
Sugar
The cost of sugar has been rapidly rising since the pandemic. In September, the price hit an astounding $0.97 per pound, up from $0.60 at the start of 2020. This isn’t just a minor fluctuation; it’s a massive spike driven by a combination of poor weather affecting harvests in key producing countries like India and Thailand, coupled with new export restrictions. This foundational ingredient’s price surge is a major reason why so many other items on your grocery list, from soda to baked goods, are also getting more expensive.
Cereal
As the infamously high price of eggs has drastically increased since its peak two years ago, cereals are now making breakfast way too expensive. We don’t like that. Prices have increased 14% on a yearly basis, with a single box now costing more than $5, due to rising grain and sugar prices. But the pain doesn’t stop there. This is a prime example of “shrinkflation,” where not only is the price on the box higher, but the box itself contains less cereal than it did a few years ago. That simple, affordable bowl of cornflakes is delivering a double whammy to your wallet.
Milk
A gallon of milk was around $2.85 at the start of 2019, but the pandemic, the biggest culprit, sent dairy prices all the way up to over $4.20 in the fall of 2022. As prices dipped in the following months, a gallon is now getting closer to $4 once again. The volatility is a headache for household budgets, especially for families with children. The price spikes are a result of a complex mix of factors, including higher feed costs for cattle, labor shortages on farms, and continued supply chain disruptions. What was once a reliable, inexpensive staple is now another source of financial uncertainty.
Cooking fats and oils
The cost of edible fats and oils, such as peanut butter, is up to 5.6% on a yearly basis. This category includes kitchen essentials like olive oil, canola oil, and butter. Since these are the foundational ingredients for countless recipes, this price hike quietly affects nearly everything you cook at home. That 5.6% might not sound as dramatic as other increases, but it’s a persistent, creeping cost that adds up meal after meal, week after week.
Rice
The cost of rice increased by 5.5% between the end of last summer and this one, outpacing the overall inflation rate. This is largely due to global supply issues, most notably India’s decision to ban exports of certain types of non-basmati white rice to control its domestic prices. Because rice is a staple food for more than half of the world’s population, this price increase has a significant global impact, particularly on households that rely on it as a primary, affordable source of calories.
Apples
Even if food inflation has been subsiding, the price of apples increased by 8.5% between last summer and this one. It seems not even the simplest, healthiest snacks are safe from the inflationary squeeze. This increase can be chalked up to a combination of factors, including adverse weather events in key growing regions, higher labor costs for harvesting, and increased fuel costs for transportation. The old adage “an apple a day” now comes with a noticeably higher daily cost.
Household paper products
The price of housekeeping supplies, as a general rule, seems to have gone up over the last year. However, household paper products led the pack with a 6.5% increase since last fall. We all remember the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, and it feels like prices never truly recovered. The cost of pulp, the raw material for products like paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper, remains high, and manufacturers are passing those costs directly on to consumers. It’s just one more way the cost of simply running a household continues to escalate.
Bacon
The pandemic fried the bacon prices, peaking at over $7.60 a pound in October 2022. Even if breakfast lovers got some temporary relief in the following months, it’s now back at over $7.00, up from $5.25 in March 2020. That sizzling sound on a Sunday morning is now accompanied by the painful thought of its cost. The price volatility is driven by the high cost of animal feed and persistent supply chain issues, making this beloved breakfast meat a much more indulgent purchase than it used to be.
Pantry Seafood
The price of shelf-stable fish and other types of seafood is now up by 5.3% from the start of last fall. This hits hard because items like canned tuna and sardines have long been go-to options for a cheap, healthy source of protein. Higher fuel costs for fishing fleets, combined with increased processing and canning costs, mean these budget-friendly staples are becoming less and less friendly to your wallet, forcing many to find even cheaper, often less nutritious, alternatives.
Steaks
Steaks were already quite pricey in the post-pandemic meat aisles. But now, the cost of uncooked beef steaks increased by over 10% between last fall and this fall. A nice ribeye or T-bone has always been a treat, but at these prices, it’s moving into the category of a special-occasion-only luxury for many families. Drought conditions have strained cattle herds, and the high cost of feed and processing continues to drive up the price of premium cuts, making a home-cooked steak dinner nearly as expensive as a restaurant meal.
Beef and veal
It’s not just T-bones and ribeyes. The overall cost of beef, but also veal, increased by 7% year-over-year this September. This affects the more common cuts that families rely on for weekly meals. The price of ground beef for burgers and tacos, or a chuck roast for a stew, has climbed steadily. This consistent increase puts a significant strain on the weekly grocery budget, forcing many to cut back on red meat consumption altogether.
Turkey
The price of poultry, in general, has dropped over the course of last year, but not the uncooked one, so expect to pay almost 7% more for your bird this Thanksgiving than the last one. This specific increase for whole, uncooked turkeys is often linked to outbreaks of avian flu, which can devastate flocks and create supply shortages right before the holiday season when demand is at its peak. Carving the Thanksgiving turkey now involves carving out a bigger chunk of your holiday budget.
Baked goods
In 2023, the year-over-year cost of baked goods increased by 12.9%, which is double the rate of food inflation and more than three times overall inflation. This category is a perfect storm of rising input costs. The soaring prices of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs all combine to make everything from a loaf of bread to a package of cookies significantly more expensive. Cookies are now 16% more expensive than they were last year, and bread is 12% more expensive. Your local bakery and the grocery store aisle are both feeling the intense pressure.
Snacks
The wide majority of food companies such as Nestle, Pepsico, Coca-Cola, and Unilever decided to increase their prices over the last year, even if the overall food prices have cooled. This sent the cost of many popular snacks they produce up high. This is a particularly frustrating point for consumers, as it suggests that some price hikes are being driven not just by rising costs, but by a desire to protect or expand profit margins. This phenomenon, sometimes called “greedflation,” leaves a sour taste in the mouth long after you’ve finished your overpriced bag of chips.
Candy and chewing gum
The rising cost of sugar also pushed up the cost of candy by 7.5% between last September and this September. It’s a direct and predictable consequence: when the primary ingredient becomes more expensive, the final product follows suit. That impulse buy at the checkout counter is now a more calculated decision, as the cost of a simple chocolate bar or pack of gum inches ever higher.
Chocolate
On October 2023, cocoa futures hit no less than $3.786 per metric ton, which is the highest since January 1979, because of global shortages. As there is generally a delay between changes in commodity futures and other supermarket prices, the cost on the shelf hasn’t changed that much. However, analysts still agree that the highest cocoa prices in 44 years might translate to soaring chocolate prices in the upcoming months. These shortages are due to widespread crop disease and poor weather in West Africa, where most of the world’s cocoa is grown. So, if you’re a chocoholic, you might want to brace yourself—or stock up now.
Vending machine food and drinks
If you find yourself avoiding the high cafeteria prices at work or school, don’t expect too much relief at the vending machine, as prices already rose by a sky-high 16% year-over-year. This massive jump turns a convenience into a costly indulgence. Operators are facing higher costs for the products themselves, as well as fuel and labor for servicing the machines. For a captive audience at an office or travel hub, there are few alternatives, making that can of soda or bag of pretzels an increasingly expensive quick fix.
Adult beverages
The price of beer, wine, and spirits all rose way faster than overall inflation since last fall, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. According to Vinepair, the price of packaged adult beverages has also soared by almost 103% since 2000, which is huge. This long-term trend is staggering. It reflects rising costs for everything from raw materials like barley, grapes, and agave to packaging materials like glass bottles and aluminum cans. Enjoying a drink at home or at a bar has become a significantly more expensive affair over the past two decades.
Frozen juices and drinks
Consumers already enjoyed relief at the markets over the last year, but still not in every aisle. For example, the cost of frozen juices and noncarbonated drinks soared by over 21% between September 2022 and September 2023. A major driver of this spike is the price of frozen orange juice concentrate, which has skyrocketed due to devastating citrus greening disease in Florida’s orange groves and poor harvests abroad. That seemingly simple glass of breakfast juice is now a luxury item.
Frozen and refrigerated bakery products
Frozen bakery foods such as pies, tarts, and turnovers are 7.7% more expensive than they were at the beginning of last fall. Much like their fresh counterparts, these convenience items are victims of the high cost of flour, sugar, and fats. The extra cost you pay for the convenience of having a pie ready to bake from your freezer has grown, making these easy desserts a little harder on the wallet.
Frozen vegetables
Juices and drinks aren’t exactly the only budget busters when it comes to the freezer aisle. The September CPI report also found that frozen vegetables cost 14.7% more than they did at this time last year. This is particularly tough for budget-conscious shoppers who rely on frozen produce to save money and reduce food waste. The price hike is influenced by energy costs for processing and freezing, as well as transportation and packaging expenses, undermining one of the key benefits of buying frozen.
Sauces and gravies
A 6.7% increase in sauces and gravies in between last summer and this one has made it way harder for families to add flavor to their meals. Whether it’s a jar of pasta sauce, a bottle of teriyaki, or a packet of gravy mix, the cost has gone up. This is due to the rising prices of base ingredients like tomatoes, oils, and spices. It’s a reminder that inflation seeps into every corner of the grocery cart, making even the finishing touches on a meal more expensive.
Salad dressings
Even if shoppers noticed that prices weren’t rising as fast in the produce aisle over the last year, the cost of salad dressing increased by 12.1% between August 2022 and August 2023. It’s a jarring increase that catches many by surprise. The primary culprits are the high costs of the main ingredients: vegetable oils and vinegar, along with various spices and dairy products. That healthy salad suddenly becomes a lot more expensive once you factor in the dressing.
Condiments
Anyone who hosted a barbecue the last two summers in a row probably noticed already that the price of condiments increased by 8.9% between last August and this August. That bottle of ketchup for your burgers, the mustard for your hot dogs, and the mayonnaise for your potato salad are all quietly taking a bigger bite out of your budget. These staples, once almost an afterthought in grocery shopping, now add a noticeable amount to the final bill.
Restaurant dining
Rising restaurant prices were definitely one of those defining features of post-pandemic inflation, and diners are still watching menu prices rise way faster than food. For example, the cost of dining out increased by another 6% between September 2022 and September 2023. This is the culmination of all the other price hikes on this list. Restaurants are grappling with higher food costs, increased wages for their staff, rising rent, and soaring energy bills. They have little choice but to pass these expenses on to the customer, making a meal out a much more costly proposition than it was just a few years ago.
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