Chaucer on Trial

A master carpenter would make 4 pence per day, which would buy a gallon of ale, a loaf of bread, and a chicken.

A master carpenter in my city makes $320 per day, which at Costco would buy you like 20 rotisserie chickens, 20 loaves of bread, and 20 gallons of Budweiser (i.e. 5 36-packs). I don't know what I was expecting, but such a high multiple is surprising. And clothes are even more extreme, a day's labor buys you 0.1 tunics in 1300 or 80 Costco crew-necks in 2022 (or 10 low-quality button-down shirts).

Interestingly, a month's rent comes out to about 5 days wages in either case.

EDIT: just noticed that the medieval "loaf of bread" weighs over 8 pounds... the loaves at Costco are only a pound each, so 20 Costco loaves is about 2.5 medieval ones. Still a good deal.