Regular gas, per gallon
$4.26
▲ 39.9% vs a year ago ($3.05)
As of Oct 21, 2026 · AAA
What it means for you The DollarMap Cost Index
Ten everyday prices that shape a U.S. household budget, checked every month against official sources. Each number shows the date it describes and a link to where it comes from. Journalists and bloggers are welcome to cite it with a link.
Eggs, grade A large, per dozen
$2.27
▼ 34.9% vs a year ago ($3.49)
As of Sep 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it means for you Ground beef, 100% beef, per lb
$6.79
▲ 7.4% vs a year ago ($6.32)
As of Sep 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it means for you Whole milk, per gallon
$4.11
▼ 0.6% vs a year ago ($4.13)
As of Sep 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it means for you Electricity, per kWh
19.6¢
▲ 4.3% vs a year ago (18.8¢)
As of Sep 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it means for you Inflation (CPI-U, 12-month change)
3.7%
Year-ago figure not published
As of Sep 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it means for you 30-year fixed mortgage rate
7.40%
▲ 18.0% vs a year ago (6.27%)
As of Oct 15, 2026 · Freddie Mac
What it means for you Average new vehicle price paid
$50,562
▲ 0.7% vs a year ago ($50,221)
As of Sep 2026 · Cox Automotive / Kelley Blue Book
What it means for you Median rent, national
$1,388
Year-ago figure not published
Apartment List reports rent down 0.4% ($6) from September 2025.
As of Sep 2026 · Apartment List
What it means for you National average savings rate
0.38%
Year-ago figure not published
FDIC national average rate, as published on FRED (St. Louis Fed).
As of Oct 2026 · FDIC via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
What it means for you | Item | Latest | Year ago | Change | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas, per gallon | $4.26 | $3.05 | +39.9% | Oct 21, 2026 | AAA Gas Prices, national average |
| Eggs, grade A large, per dozen | $2.27 | $3.49 | -34.9% | Sep 2026 | Average Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. and Midwest Region |
| Ground beef, 100% beef, per lb | $6.79 | $6.32 | +7.4% | Sep 2026 | Average Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. and Midwest Region |
| Whole milk, per gallon | $4.11 | $4.13 | -0.6% | Sep 2026 | Average Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. and Midwest Region |
| Electricity, per kWh | 19.6¢ | 18.8¢ | +4.3% | Sep 2026 | Average Retail Food and Energy Prices, U.S. and Midwest Region |
| Inflation (CPI-U, 12-month change) | 3.7% | n/a | n/a | Sep 2026 | Consumer Price Index News Release, September 2026 |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate | 7.40% | 6.27% | +18.0% | Oct 15, 2026 | Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) |
| Average new vehicle price paid | $50,562 | $50,221 | +0.7% | Sep 2026 | September 2026 Kelley Blue Book Average Transaction Price tables |
| Median rent, national | $1,388 | n/a | n/a | Sep 2026 | Apartment List National Rent Report |
| National average savings rate | 0.38% | n/a | n/a | Oct 2026 | National Rate: Savings (SNDR) |
Year-over-year changes are our calculation from the two published figures. Where a source does not publish the year-ago number, we leave the change blank instead of guessing.
How we build the index
Each month we take the newest published figure for every item from the same source: AAA for gas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics for grocery prices, electricity and inflation, Freddie Mac for mortgage rates, Cox Automotive and Kelley Blue Book for new car prices, Apartment List for rent, and the FDIC national rate for savings. Read more on our method page.
Cite this page
DollarMap Cost Index, Oct 21, 2026. https://thedollarmap.com/cost-index/