In 1932 the average cost of a new house was $6,510 and the average cost of renting a house was only $18 per month. The average cost of a new car was $610 and a gallon of gas only cost 10 cents! A pound of hamburger sold for 10 cents and a loaf of bread cost just 7 cents. Average wages 80 years ago were $1,650. 
Although the cost of living in 1932 compared to 2012 was very low, there were a lot of problems in the United States and the world. Unemployment in our country was a staggering 24.5 percent. The Great Depression was not limited to the U.S. The United Kingdom had over 20 percent of the workforce unemployed and in areas reliant on heavy industry, up to 30 percent were unemployed. Millions in the UK were forced to use soup kitchens as a way of life. Australia’s unemployment reached 29 percent .