If you’re thinking that going outside this summer is too expensive — you’re not alone.
“Every time I leave the house I spend $100,” is such a common lament for people living in major U.S. cities that you can find dozens of versions of it on social media.
“Yes, having a baby is expensive, but also as a New Yorker, no longer being able to leave the house is saving me about $100/day,” one user wrote on X. “$100 is the new $20,” added another.
Of course, leaving the house doesn’t always literally cost a whole Benjamin Franklin, but sadly people are correct to have noticed an upward shift in prices for every day activities, from a meal out in a restaurant to a night at the movies.
Sebnem Kalemli-Ozcan, economics professor at Brown University, says that though inflation has dropped significantly from its peak in 2022 (around 9 of 10 percent), the prices for such activities have not returned to the levels seen before the COVID pandemic – and they likely never will.
In fact, she tells The Independent, further “inflationary shocks” to the economy – such as war in the Middle East, or sweeping international tariffs – will bump prices even further up in the U.S.
So, let’s (anecdotally) look at the numbers.
A night out in a dive bar in Los Angeles or Manhattan might cost you $9 per beer. Let’s say you’re cool and have three average beers or one-and-a-half fancy cocktails (please drink responsibly), that’s $27 plus around a 20 percent tip, bringing the total to $32.40.
Pre pandemic, you’d be looking at around $24 for the drinks – and a total of $28.80 after tipping.
Similarly back in 2019 a casual dinner for two might have run you up around $40 to $50. Now, due to increased costs in food ingredients, labor, and utilities, restaurants have raised prices.
According to OysterLink, menu prices at full-service restaurants increased by 4.1 percent year-over-year as of March 2025. This means that meal is probably costing more like $60 to $70 – and that’s before tip!
But, for those that are dinner and drink averse, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to spend that $100.
One ticket, recently bought in Midtown Manhattan, to Final Destination: Bloodlines cost an exorbitant $24, and average ticket prices in New York in 2025 is $23.10, according to CableTV.com. Even at a national average of $16, the price of two and a large popcorn stretches up to $42.66, according to the site.
Beauty care isn’t exempt from hikes either. “I just got a regular mani/ pedi, no gel, picked up some mascara, make-up removing wipes and deodorant (and) the coffee – $106 later. Just casual,” groans New Jersey-based dietitian Lauren Cadillac on TikTok.
Kalemli-Ozcan warns that, even if external factors calm down, the policies of the Trump administration – the Liberation Day tariffs and the “Big, Beautiful Bill” – bringing a combination of higher prices on goods, and more money in people’s pockets, could result in a “perfect storm moment.”
“Then people are going to start to say, not, ‘it takes me $100 to go out.’ It will be more than $300 or $400 to get out of the house,” she said.
However, despite the dooming and complaints of big city livers, one key factor should be noted. Despite price hikes, consumer spending has remained resilient across the board – especially within wealthier households.
Data shows a 6.3 percent increase in restaurant spending in May 2025 compared to the previous year, and core retail spending rose 4.2 percent year-on-year in May 2025, according to Investopedia. So that means even if it’s costing people lots, they’re still out spending.
Spending money to distract yourself from the horrors of the world? Priceless.
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