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The biggest wealth holders in history are not form current times, but from about 100 years ago.
Some inflation is very subjective. Sure may parent's new house in 1984 was very inexpensive but much of that was due to it's super simple construction, small size, basic features. It had 1000 sqft finished, a simple rectangle, cheap carpet or linoleum everywhere, tiny kitchen with the most basic appliances and laminate counters and pressboard cabinets, a single car garage, electric baseboard heat, no A/C, no landscaping, etc.
You can't buy a house like that today but there were 100's if not 1000's of them just like it for sale brand new in tight developments growing up. Simple streets, no parks, no sidewalks, no trees. Now the developments need 30% or more public spaces. The houses all have 2 or 3 car garages, even if they are still only 1000 sqft. Forced air heat and AC, tile and hardwood or laminates, walk in closets, multiple bathrooms, cathedral ceilings, double or triple pain windows, better insulation, etc, etc.
Same thing with cars. A 1984 Honda would have no AC, a manual transmission, a carb, manual steering and brakes, no airbags, simple interior, etc, etc. I'm convinced Honda could make that car today if it were allowed for about the same $4000 it cost in 1984. The $11,000 new Mirage is 10 times better then the 1984 Honda for less than 3 times the price.
Obviously there are 1000's of examples in electronics where prices have actually gone down. I remember having to rent not just movies but the VCR itself because we could never afford one. Pizza cost more than steak in our town. Doing pizza and movie/VCR rental on my dad's $8/hr wage was a pretty big hit to the budget, basically 2-3 hours worth of labor. Now I can work 1/2 hr and supply my family with a couple pizzas and a home movie, maybe even buying the movie if not a Redbox for something newer.
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