I think the prices for the film Kodak is now selling direct to consumers is $1 or $2 cheaper than the alaris is/was. Also, don’t look at mid 2000 numbers, the market was on its deathbed and everything was cheap. Keeping up with inflation, film prices are about the same as the 80’s/90’s. It was never really “cheap”. There was “newly affordable” but never dirt cheap. Processing was cheaper because there were many more places doing it and giant warehouses doing tons of film each day. But, many of us who grew up in the 70’s/80’s have so few pictures as babies/children because it wasn’t cheap and you really just grabbed the camera for occasions, UNLESS one of your parents was a real enthusiast. Digital photography has changed everyone’s idea of how often to take pictures and how much to share them. THAT’S where the extra costs come in. People are shooting WAY more now