Moving Costs

The year 1993 wasn’t exactly the golden age of travel, but most items were certainly a lot cheaper than they are today. For just about everything related to moving around the country, costs have climbed steeply. The surprising exception is air travel: the average cost of a round-trip domestic flight has gone up, but not by much. Keep in mind, though, that the airfare figures don’t include add-ons like baggage fees, which have proliferated in recent years.

1993 2013
Gallon of gas $1.16 $3.31
Average hotel room rate, business travelers $79.80 $158.99
Average domestic round-trip U.S. airfare $320.86 $377.56
Cost of carbon offset for one-way, one-stop flight from Los Angeles
to New York City
Didn’t exist $17.85(2012 figure)
Taxi ride, 2.8 miles, New York City $6.28 $13.60
U.S. average daily cost of car rental $33.50 $48.01
Average daily expenses for meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) $52.79 $85.41

Note: Prices are not adjusted for inflation.