According To Inflation Data, Here's What Grocery Prices Could Look Like In 2050 - Tasting Table

"According to the CPI inflation calculator, at 3% inflation, $100 today will be worth about $209.38 in 2050. At the grocery store, where food inflation is very real, that's going to take its toll. If prices increase at this level, a $4.68 box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes at Walmart will cost about $9.80 in 2050. You'd probably spend $3.14 to get a gallon of 2% milk to go with it, but in 2050 that will cost about $6.57."

"Prognostication is hardly an exact science, but you can use history and trends to make predictions. For instance, average annual inflation over the past 10 years has been about 3% in the United States. There is some variation in predictions, but the USDA also believes consumer food prices will rise about 3% next year. If we use that as a baseline and project to the year 2050, we can estimate what prices might look like."

"In 2025, the U.S. poverty line sits at $15,650, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. That's how much one person hypothetically must earn to be able to afford their basic needs. With the rate of inflation, that will rise to $32,767 by 2050. That's per person. For a family of four, it's $31,200 today. In 2050 that will rise to $65,325."

Assuming a 3% annual inflation rate through 2050, consumer prices could about double, with $100 today equating to roughly $209.38 before 2050. Grocery staples would rise accordingly: a $4.68 box of cereal could cost about $9.80, a gallon of 2% milk about $6.57, and a $2.24 carton of eggs about $4.69, approaching inflation-adjusted 1950s levels. The federal poverty threshold per person could increase from $15,650 in 2025 to about $32,767 by 2050, and a family of four’s line from $31,200 to about $65,325. Wages historically lag inflation and supply shocks can further increase costs.

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