How much did things cost in 1962?
These are prices of some sample items in 1962.
How much were these prices for someone on an average income in 1962? To get a feel for this, I have adjusted them for the increase in incomes from 1962 to today. You can see these adjusted prices in the column 'Income adjusted'.
1962 price | Income adjusted | |
---|---|---|
Gallon of petrol | 4s 11d | £14 |
Pint of beer | 2s 1d | £5.90 |
20 cigarettes | 4s 6d | £13 |
Pint of milk | 8½d | £2 |
19" Ekco black & white TV (Currys) | 67 guineas | £4,000 |
Bush TR104 personal transistor radio | £15 4s 6d | £860 |
The Daily Mirror newspaper | 3d | 71p |
Average house price | £2,599 | £150,000 |
Cola (Fine Fare) | 9d | £2.10 |
Ford Cortina car | £597 | £34,000 |
Hotpoint Iced Diamond Super F50 refrigerator | £55 13s | £3,100 |
Hoover 65 twin tub - washing machine (Currys) | 65 guineas | £3,900 |
Kenwood Chef mixer | £28 19s 6d | £1,600 |
Morphy-Richards Atlantic electric iron | £2 12s 6d | £150 |
Smiths crisps - 1 pack | 4d | 94p |
Heinz Cream of Tomato Soap (tin) | 1s 3d | £3.50 |
Del Monte tinned fruit salad | 1s 9d to 2s 11d | £4.90 to £8.20 |
Nylon stockings (St. Michael) from Marks & Spencer | 5s 6d | £16 |
Agfacolour CT18 colour 35mm film including processing | £1 11s 9d | £90 |
Smiths Astral T152 men's wristwatch | £7 10s | £420 |
12 months membership of a 'Top Rank' health club | £18 18s | £1,100 |
Television rental (per week) | 8s to 12s | £23 to £34 |
Olympia Splendid 33 portable manual typewriter | £23 | £1,300 |
Ronson (model 21) electric razor | £6 19s 6d | £390 |
Prices are in pounds, shillings and pence.
Some shops priced more expensive items in guineas. A guinea is one pound and one shilling or £1.05.
The income adjusted prices are based on the Bank of England's Three Centuries Macroeconomic Dataset Version 2.3 - 30 June 2016. I have updated the income figures based on the ONS: Series code KAB9, adjusted to bring the figures inline with the Bank of England's.
For a comparison of prices in 1962 adjusted for inflation see Infation adjusted prices for 1962
By Steven Braggs, November 2021, updated May 2022
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