In 1992 I paid $350 a month for a 1 bedroom apartment plus electric, which ran about $35 to $40 a month in a good part of Houston, Texas in the Rice/West U area.

The Lou Ann platter at Luby's Cafeteria where you got choice of meat, 2 vegetables, a roll and iced tea was $3.50.

A person could live very well on $11 an hour, I did.

I don't know what has happened, wages haven't gone up for most people, but cost of living has gone way up. Apartments now start at around $1250 a month and the renters now have to pay all bills in most cases, including a garbage fee and parking space.