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18 then and now

By Money Matters Team

How much was a pint of milk when you were 18? See how much basic living costs have changed since you were a student, with our interactive calculator.

Life is pricey these days, but roughly how much more expensive is it to be a student today in comparison to when you were 18? Use the ‘choose a decade’ tab below to select the era in which you were 18 and then compare some of the key living costs for your son or daughter today. Then, click through to read some essential guides for everything you – and they – need to know about the next big step.

 

Living Costs Eating and drinking Technology
How much was a gallon of petrol?
What was the average UK house price?
How much were UK tuition fees?
What was the average cost of a pint of beer?
How much was a loaf of bread?
How much was a pint of milk?
What was the average worth of an 18-year old's technology?
What was the price of a first class stamp?
What was the average price of a mobile phone handset?
Choose a decade...
Photo of a petrol pump
26p
(leaded)
Photo of a house
$3,660
$0
Fees were paid by Local Education Authorities
Photo of a pint
11p
6p
Photo of a pint
3p
Photo of a record player
$24.50
(record player)
Photo of a letter and post box
3p
Didn't
exist
1960s
Living Costs
2013
How much was a gallon of petrol?
26p (leaded)
$6 (unleaded)
What was the average UK house price?
$3,660
$238,000
How much were UK tuition fees?
$0 Fees were paid by Local Education Authorities
$9,000
(free in Scotland)
1960s
Eating and Drinking
2013
What was the average cost of a pint of beer?
11p
$3.O3
How much was a loaf of bread?
6p
$1.24
How much was a pint of milk?
3p
49p
1960s
Technology
2013
What was the average worth of an 18-year old's technology?
$24.50 (record player)
$2,266 (laptop, smartphone, camera, MP3 player, tablet...)
What was the price of a first class stamp?
3p
60p but emails are free
What was the average price of a mobile phone handset?
Didn't exist
$529
Photo of a petrol pump
73p
(leaded)
Photo of a house
$11,787
$0
Fees were paid by Local Education Authorities
Photo of a pint
20p
Photo of a loaf of bread
9p
Photo of a pint of milk
6p
Photo of a record player
$25.95
(record player)
Photo of a letter and post box
7p
Didn't
exist
1970s
Living Costs
2013
How much was a gallon of petrol?
73p (leaded)
$6 (unleaded)
What was the average UK house price?
$11,787
$238,000
How much were UK tuition fees?
$0 Fees were paid by Local Education Authorities
$9,000
(free in Scotland)
1970s
Eating and Drinking
2013
What was the average cost of a pint of beer?
20p
$3.O3
How much was a loaf of bread?
9p
$1.24
How much was a pint of milk?
6p
49p
1970s
Technology
2013
What was the average worth of an 18-year old's technology?
$25.95 (record player)
$2,266 (laptop, smartphone, camera, MP3 player, tablet...)
What was the price of a first class stamp?
7p
60p but emails are free
What was the average price of a mobile phone handset?
Didn't exist
$529
$1.99 (leaded)
Photo of a house
$31,103
$0
Fees were paid by Local Education Authorities
Photo of a pint
35p
Photo of a loaf of bread
33p
Photo of a pint of milk
17p
Photo of a tape
$64.99
(cassette and
radio player)
Photo of a letter
17p
Photo of a mobile phone
$3,000 when they were introduced in 1985
1980s
Living Costs
2013
How much was a gallon of petrol?
$1.99 (leaded)
$6 (unleaded)
What was the average UK house price?
$31,103
$238,000
How much were UK tuition fees?
$0 Fees were paid by Local Education Authorities
$9,000
(free in Scotland)
1980s
Eating and Drinking
2013
What was the average cost of a pint of beer?
35p
$3.O3
How much was a loaf of bread?
33p
$1.24
How much was a pint of milk?
17p
49p
1980s
Technology
2013
What was the average worth of an 18-year old's technology?
$64.99 (cassette and radio player)
$2,266 (laptop, smartphone, camera, MP3 player, tablet...)
What was the price of a first class stamp?
17p
60p but emails are free
What was the average price of a mobile phone handset?
$3,000 when they were introduced in 1985
$529
$2.46 (unleaded)
Photo of a house
$65,644
$1,000
Per year in United States, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong (from 1998)
Photo of a pint
$1.40
50p
Photo of a pint of milk
31p
Photo of a cd player
$259
(CD discman,
stereo)
25p
Photo of a mobile phone
$999
1990s
Living Costs
2013
How much was a gallon of petrol?
$2.46 (unleaded)
$6 (unleaded)
What was the average UK house price?
$65,644
$238,000
How much were UK tuition fees?
$1,000Per year in United States, Northern Ireland and Hong Kong (from 1998)
$9,000
(free in Scotland)
1990s
Eating and Drinking
2013
What was the average cost of a pint of beer?
$1.40
$3.O3
How much was a loaf of bread?
50p
$1.24
How much was a pint of milk?
31p
49p
1990s
Technology
2013
What was the average worth of an 18-year old's technology?
$259 (CD discman, stereo)
$2,266 (laptop, smartphone, camera, MP3 player, tablet...)
What was the price of a first class stamp?
25p
60p but emails are free
What was the average price of a mobile phone handset?
$999
$529
Now 2013
Photo of a car filling up on petrol
$6
(unleaded)
$238,000
Photo of a motorboard filled with money
$9,000 (free in Scotland)
Photo of a pint
$3.O3
Photo of a stack of bread
$1.24
Photo of a pint of milk
49p
$2,266 (laptop, smartphone, camera, MP3 player, tablet...)
Photo of a woman using a laptop
60p but emails are free
Photo of a iPhone
$529

 

For more tips and support, visit our home tools & guides section.

The figures quoted above are example costs of each item at some point during the listed decade and are for illustrative purposes only. They are not an exact average of prices within the given decade and are presented as approximate costs. Historic prices are not adjusted according to inflation.
Photography: Alamy; Getty Images; Shutterstock.

This Money Matters post aims to be informative and engaging. Though it may include tips and information, it does not constitute advice and should not be used as a basis for any financial decisions. Sun Trust Group accepts no responsibility for the opinions and views of external contributors and the content of external websites included within this post. Some links may take you to another Sun Trust Group page. All information in this post was correct at date of publication.

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