Döner, Flicks, and a Trim: A Look at Life's Cost 19 Years Ago
- by Leon Berent
- ❗️Ain't life getting pricier? Or so it seems! However, did you know that wages have been on the rise too?
Cost of Common Foods 19 Years Ago: An Examination of Affordable Daily Essentials - Consumer prices in the recent past: 19 years ago, what was the ordinary cost of living?
Back in the day, RTL took a trip down memory lane, checking out the prices of everyday items across Germany. Their team of sleuths recorded costs for staples like a döner or movie tickets at random spots in Cologne. Fast forward to now, they repeated the experiment at the same locations to compare prices. This comparison lets us get a historical perspective beyond the cookie-cutter surveys of authorized bodies.
Debunking the Myth
Although inflation is here, and we feel the pinch in our wallets, wages have also seen a spike. From 2006 to 2024, Germans pocketed an average gross income increase of 59 percent. Consumer prices, on the other hand, only rose by 44 percent during the same period.
Kathrin Kann, head of the "Income, Over-indebtedness" department at the Federal Statistical Office, chats with stern: "Hey, the trend has been positive. Incomes have grown faster than consumer prices."
She's not alone in her assessment. Karsten Sandhop, head of the "Methods and Communication in Price Statistics" department at the Federal Office, points out why we might miss that: "Folks, there's a psychological nitwit that makes us overreact to price hikes more than we appreciate price drops."
You might wonder, with the economy's gloom and doom stories, why more Germans feel prices are always spiraling upwards and the rich-poor gap is widening. Confused much? Well, it's a myth and a persistent one at that. Income and wealth inequality have been steady since the 2000s, albeit at sky-high levels. The poorer among us are unfortunately seeing their numbers rise in recent times.
So when you're standing at the döner stand or forking out cash at the movie theater, wondering why it's costing you more, think again. Chances are your wages have kept up with the price hikes.
RTL will air the price comparison on Tuesday at 10:35 PM on television and RTL+. As you know, stern is part of RTL Germany.
The Figures Speak for Themselves
❗️Unfortunately, stats on the costs of döner kebabs, cinema tickets, and haircuts in Cologne, Germany, 19 years ago are difficult to come by. But here's a rough idea:- A döner kebab in Germany often cost around €3 to €5 in the early 2000s. These rates might vary depending on location and serving size.- Cinema tickets in Germany were probably priced between €6 and €10 around that era.- Haircuts in Germany could have cost between €20 to €50 in the 2000s, depending on the salon and haircut type.
Remember, these are rough estimates. Prices could have differed based on specific locations and services. Catch RTL's price comparison to get the lowdown! 📺🚀
The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty, yet one could argue that the cost of living in terms of lifestyle choices, such as food-and-drink, like purchasing a döner kebab, has seen an increase over the past 19 years, with prices in Germany in the early 2000s generally ranging from €3 to €5, versus potential current costs. Similarly, the cost of home-and-garden items, such as cinema tickets and haircuts, may have also risen, with cinema tickets priced between €6 and €10, and haircuts costing between €20 to €50 in the 2000s, although these are only rough estimates.
