Transparency
Methodology & Sources
We believe price data should be transparent, sourced from reliable public data, and updated regularly. Here is exactly where our numbers come from.
Gas Prices
Gas prices are sourced from the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report and cross-referenced with GasBuddy regional data. We report regular unleaded (87 octane) as the standard measure.
Update frequency: Monthly (1st of month)
Geography: City/metro-level where available, state average otherwise
Rent Prices
Rental data comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of the typical observed market rate rent. ZORI is a repeat-rent index that controls for compositional changes.
Series: ZORI — Smoothed, All Homes
Update frequency: Monthly
Note: Smaller cities use nearest MSA or state average
Grocery Prices
Grocery item prices are sourced from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) via the Bureau of Labor Statistics Average Price series. These are national averages; city-level adjustments are applied using regional cost-of-living indices.
Source: FRED API (api.stlouisfed.org)
Eggs: APU0000708111
Milk (gallon): APU0000709112
Ground Beef: APU0000703112
Bread (1 lb): APU0000702111
Chicken Breast: APU0000706111
Update frequency: Monthly
CPI / Inflation Rates
Official CPI figures are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED. We report year-over-year percent change for the CPI-U (all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted unless noted).
All Items CPI: CPIAUCSL
Food at Home: CUSR0000SAF11
Food Away from Home: CUSR0000SEFV
Dining & Restaurant Prices
Fast food combo meal prices are sourced from publicly reported data, menu price tracking databases, and consumer-reported pricing. Chain prices represent a typical combo meal or standard order for one person. These figures are approximate and may vary by location.
Update frequency: Quarterly
Note: Prices are city-level estimates
Update Schedule
Data is refreshed automatically on the 1st of each month via a GitHub Actions workflow that pulls from FRED API, Zillow ZORI CSV exports, and AAA gas price data. Historical data going back to 2022 was backfilled in March 2026 as the project launched.
Important Caveats
- Smaller Idaho cities (Rexburg, Pocatello) use state-level FRED data with local adjustment factors, not direct city measurements.
- Rent data for cities outside major Zillow metros uses nearest comparable MSA.
- This site is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice.
- CPI is a national measure; your personal inflation rate will differ based on spending habits.
Questions about the data? Open an issue on GitHub or email us.