[someone13]

I wasn't able to find anything about a fridge, but some searching found a Sears catalog from 1959:

http://www.aei.org/publication/appliance-shopping-1959-vs-20...

From that page, it looks like the price of the washer, adjusted for inflation to 2016, is $1756.12. A comparable washer today, from Sears, appears to be somewhere in the $400 - $600 range, or about 30% as much as it used to cost.

Data for today's washers: http://www.sears.com/appliances-washers-top-load-washers/b-1...

[snotrockets]

And that modern washer would use less energy, water, and need less detergent, reducing the cost-per-load.

[mrob]

Modern washers use the same amount of water, except now you have to manually run the extra rinse program to remove all the detergent.

[snotrockets]

Try to use less soap. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/your-money/13shortcuts.htm...

[CydeWeys]

I'm from the US, bought some appliances a few years ago, and can confirm that $500 is about what you would expect to pay for a decent washer or dryer.