ABOUT NORMIECONOMY
NormiEconomy tracks US consumer prices for the things that normal people actually spend money on — not commodities futures or stock indices. It's a Bloomberg Terminal for your grocery list.
OUR MISSION
Financial news sites track stock prices obsessively. But most people don't own stocks — they buy eggs, fill gas tanks, and pay Netflix bills. NormiEconomy fills the gap: a real-time dashboard showing exactly how much more (or less) the things you actually buy cost compared to last year, five years ago, or right before the pandemic.
We built this because we were tired of vague "inflation is 3.7%" headlines that don't tell you why your grocery bill feels like it doubled. The numbers here are real. Some of them are jarring. That's the point.
DATA SOURCES
The BLS Consumer Price Index program tracks average retail prices for food items, utilities, and other consumer goods. Series data includes eggs, milk, bread, butter, ground beef, chicken, coffee, and more.
The EIA publishes weekly and monthly gasoline price surveys, electricity rates by state, and natural gas residential price data.
Zillow publishes monthly rental market data including average rents by bedroom count across US metros. We use the national 1-bedroom median.
PC component prices are tracked using historical retail pricing data from major US electronics retailers. GPU, RAM, and SSD prices reflect average street prices, not MSRP.
Official Pricing Pages
Streaming service and subscription prices are tracked directly from official pricing pages at each service's website. Prices reflect the standard individual no-ads tier where applicable.
Apple & Samsung Official Pages
iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S base model prices are tracked at official MSRP from launch dates. Carrier discounts and trade-in deals are not reflected.
FAQ
Are these actual prices or averages?
All prices are US national averages. Individual prices may vary significantly by region, retailer, and brand. Grocery prices can differ by 30-50% between urban and rural areas or between discount and premium retailers.
Why are price increases shown in red?
Unlike a stock tracker where higher prices are good for investors, NormiEconomy shows things from a consumer perspective. When prices go UP, that's bad for your wallet — so we show increases in red. Decreases are shown in green because they're good for you.
How often is data updated?
Most data is updated monthly, aligned with BLS release schedules. Streaming and tech prices are updated when services announce changes. Some categories like gasoline have weekly data available but we display monthly averages for consistency.
What time period does the data cover?
Historical data goes back to January 2019 for most items, giving you a pre-pandemic baseline. Some items like Disney+ (launched Nov 2019) or RTX 4070 (launched April 2023) only have data from their availability date.
Is this financial or investment advice?
No. NormiEconomy is purely informational — a tool for understanding how consumer prices have changed over time. Nothing on this site should be construed as investment, financial, or economic advice.
Can I submit a price update or correction?
Yes! If you notice a price discrepancy or want to submit updated data, you can use our API endpoint (see README) or contact us via GitHub.
PRICE DISPLAY METHODOLOGY
Red = Price Increase: When a consumer good gets more expensive, that's bad for your purchasing power. We show increases in red — the opposite of a stock tracker.
Green = Price Decrease: When prices fall, consumers win. Tech items like RAM and SSDs are great examples — prices have fallen dramatically since 2019.
% Change is Year-Over-Year: The percentage change shown on item cards is compared to the same month one year ago, not from an arbitrary start date.
Prices are National Averages: All prices represent approximate US national averages. Your local prices will vary based on region, store, and brand choice.