Federal statistics released last week show that Wall Streeters earned an average weekly pretax paycheck of $16,918 in the first quarter of this year. That’s $879,736 annually. In the first quarter of 2003, those same finance types earned $7,051 per week, which means average paychecks have risen 140 percent in four years. Of course, everything else in New York has gotten more expensive, too.

AVERAGE MONTHLY RENT FOR MANHATTAN 2BR
2003: $3,364
Percent increase: 16%
Today: $3,893

AVERAGE TICKET PRICE FOR BROADWAY MUSICAL
2003: $66.75
Percent increase: 17%
Today: $77.88

KILOWATT HOUR OF ELECTRICITY
2003: $0.136
Percent increase: 28%
Today: $0.175

TAXI FARE FROM JFK TO MANHATTAN
2003: $35
Percent increase: 29%
Today: $45

WEEKLY UNLIMITED METROCARD
2003: $17
Percent increase: 41%
Today: $24

AVERAGE PRICE OF GALLON OF GAS
2003: $1.76
Percent increase: 57%
Today: $2.76

AVERAGE BILL AT ZAGAT’S TOP-20 MOST-EXPENSIVE RESTAURANTS
2003: $90.68
Percent increase: 58%
Today: $143.06

AVERAGE SALE PRICE OF MANHATTAN 2BR CO-OP
2003: $898,875
Percent increase: 59%
Today: $1,429,212

AVERAGE PRICE OF GALLON OF MILK
2003: $2.44
Percent increase: 64%
Today: $4

AVERAGE SALE PRICE OF HAMPTONS REAL ESTATE
2003: $805,875
Percent increase: 112%
Today: $1,712,259

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Related:

• Archive: “Intelligencer”
• Table of Contents: December 3, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!