FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- When it comes to balancing a budget, knowledge is power.

ABC Data journalists have created a tool to simplify what seem like skyrocketing prices.

"This is something we've been asked for. People want to know how much things are costing in their area and how much that's changed over time," ABC News Data Journalist Maia Rosenfeld said.

ABC PRICE TRACKER: See how your cost of living has changed with the ABC Price Tracker

Rosenfeld says the team analyzed federal data from the 100 largest metro areas across the country. The three main categories are groceries, housing and gas.

"We included the most common basic goods that have data available from reliable sources," she said.

See how housing costs in your area compare to the national average. Or shop the aisles of

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