U.S. Postage Stamps Remain Among World's Most Affordable Despite Recent Price Hikes

The U.S. has the world's largest domestic mail market, delivering half of global mail in 2021. This scale helps keep U.S. stamp prices low.

From June 2018 - June 2023, the price of a U.S. stamp rose 26%, less than half the 55% average increase in other developed countries.

U.S. stamp prices have increased more frequently in recent years, with 5 hikes since January 2021, due to declining mail volume and rising costs.

The U.S. had the most affordable stamps when accounting for purchasing power parity across 31 countries recently analyzed.

Other countries have varying rules on postage hikes, allowing some to raise prices more drastically than the U.S. Postal Service's price caps.