Good News for Your Wallet: These 6 Things Will Get Cheaper in 2026
Americans have become so accustomed to price increases year after year that the idea of anything's cost going down feels hard to believe.
And, indeed, with annual inflation at a moderate rate of 2.7%, most prices are still climbing. But there are exceptions to the trend. It turns out several notable consumer goods are forecasted to get cheaper in 2026.
Some of the items making the list are commodities in high global supply. Others, like like coffee and cocoa, have finally recovered from weather and tariff-related price shocks.
From gas prices to concert tickets, here are six things that could potentially get cheaper in 2026:
Car insurance (in some states)
After surging more than 50% in a three year-span from 2022 to early 2025, car insurance premiums stabilized and were effectively flat on the year.
In several states, car insurance prices are now set to decline in 2026. In Louisiana, the largest auto insurer — State Farm — confirmed a 5.9% reduction in rates effective Jan. 1. Drivers there will start to see those savings when their policies renew.
"I'm glad to see positive movement on auto rates in Louisiana for the first time in years," Tim Temple, the state's insurance commissioner, said in a news release, which added that a "reduction in frequency of physical damage claims" can be credited for the rate reduction.
Nationally, the insurer says "millions" of its customers "will welcome the new year with significant savings, thanks to decreasing auto rates."
Rates are also down in Florida, by as much as 6%. Announcing auto insurance refunds for Progressive customers, Gov. Ron DeSantis touted the "state's tort and insurance reform efforts," which led to 2025 rate reductions from some of the largest insurers, the governor added in the October release.
Coffee
At one point this year, U.S. coffee prices were rising faster than any other grocery item following poor weather conditions in Brazil and other coffee-producing countries.
According to a World Bank outlook published in December, however, coffee prices are expected to come back to Earth in 2026.
"As production recovers — especially in Colombia, the world’s second-largest Arabica producer — Arabica prices are projected to fall by 13%," the World Bank report said. (Arabica is the most-produced coffee bean, so this should translate into significant savings.)
Also: U.S. importers are no longer facing 40% tariffs on coffee, as coffee was part of an exemption list in November for things the U.S. does not produce in meaningful quantities.
Concert tickets
Fans, rejoice! The cost of concert tickets is finally falling after multiple years of increases.
According to a report from Pollstar earlier this month, the average ticket price was $134.23 in North America for the top 100 touring artists — a 1.6% drop from the year before. Worldwide, prices dropped 2.4% from last year.
The trend isn't universal, though: Smaller venues are where consumers are really finding cheaper tickets. The average ticket price for stadium shows was actually up 18.3% from last year, averaging $216.13 globally.
Other food items
Overall, economists say that grocery prices may "never" come down. Food prices are expected to increase 2.7% in 2026, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast. Grocery stores and food suppliers typically resist lowering prices to the extent possible as long as customer demand is high.
But given the volatility in food prices, there are always ups and downs to be found.
For example, bananas had resisted inflation in recent years — until tariffs on Central American countries took effect this year. Prices were up 6.7%, according to the November consumer price index report. But the Trump administration announced tariff relief in November, and officials are now expecting lower prices for U.S. shoppers.
A World Bank Group report from October projected that sugar prices will keep falling globally in 2026 after recently hitting a five-year low. Coconut oil and cocoa are also forecasted to see large price drops of 10% and 6.3%, respectively.
Gas prices
Drivers enjoyed the lowest pump prices in over four years in December, with the national average at $2.87 as of Dec. 19, according to GasBuddy.
GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis, Patrick De Haan, told Fox Business that lower oil prices should pave the way for another year of gas price declines.
"The outlook still looks terrific for motorists next year," he said. "I do think that 2026 will bring yet another year of a decline in gas prices. That's going to make the fourth straight year."
Gas prices are currently benefiting from seasonal factors. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts $3 gas for 2026.
In a recent short-term energy outlook, the EIA said crude oil inventories will "continue to rise through 2026, putting downward pressure on oil prices in the coming months." Crude oil accounts for nearly 50% of what drivers pay for in a gallon of gas.
Weight-loss drugs
Since its approval for weight loss in 2021 in certain populations, Ozempic has been one of the hottest prescription drugs on the market, along with Wegovy and others.
These drugs still carry a high price, but as supply grows, the costs are expected to fall.
In November, Novo Nordisk, the Danish drugmaker that makes both medicines, announced U.S. price cuts, lowering the cash price of the standard dose to $349 per month. And in December, Eli Lilly cut prices for its GLP-1 medication, Zepbound, slashing prices by $50 or $100 depending on the dose to a range of $299 to $449. These recent price moves are designed to expand market share in a booming segment of the pharmaceutical industry.
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