While cleaning up my harddrive i found an old .txt i used to keep track of what i paid each month for internet access. Back then i used a modem, maybe ISDN later to dial to a local ISP, so essentially i paid a local phonecall, mostly in the evening.

These Prices are in German Marks, which back then was maybe half to two thirds of a dollar (date is in MM/YY form and the comma marks the decimal point, so first entry reads 62 Mark and 3 Pfennig)

07/98: 62,03
08/98: 190,66
09/98: 193,22
10/98: 174,92
11/98: 176,06
12/98: 231,59
01/99: 179,12
02/99: 207,84
03/99: 237,94
04/99: 238,27
05/99: 226,31
06/99: 137,04

Back then you had 56kbit with a modem or 64kbit with ISDN later and you had to make every minute count ;) All of this was to play Ultima Online in the evenings and i was still in school back then … kind of an expensive hobby :)
Comparing this to today’s DSL market really makes you cry ;)
You get 16mbit down 1mbit DSL up for 20 euros flat or even 50mbit down 10mbit up VDSL for 70 euros flat. Kids today have it way to easy! :)