For decades, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has measured the cost of living in America.By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.However, this figure doesn’t tell the full story about inflation, former U.S. C ...