Welcome to the land of the fee and home of the bills.

The price of the American Dream surpassed $5 million in 2025 – a staggering $600,000 more than in 2024 and nearly 50% higher than just two years ago, according to a new Investopedia study .

The eye-watering $5,043,323 sum is the estimated total lifetime cost for typical American goals and milestones, including a wedding, healthcare, retirement, raising two kids and paying for their college, new cars every five years, and owning a home. 3

The dream cost $4.4 million last year and just $3.4 million in 2023, the investment site found.

“What most Americans deem to be reasonable financial milestones in their lives are becoming increasingly expensive, outpacing inflation, and are seemingly out of reach for many,” report author an

See Full Page