Anonymous
It depends on the book and whether it is paperback, hardcover, vintage, or how many pages it has.
chorle
In the USA, mainly only text books are expensive and a new release of a paperback is generally under two hours wages. Although more expensive than when I started buying books about $5 when that was the mode entry level wage.
I think it has to due with less major publishers and higher transportation costs than when I started buying that it seem like although the are not terribly expensive paper backs are more compared to income than decades ago.
Mike
It often costs more to buy a paperback reissue of a 100 year old book than the original 100 year old book. A copy of Fables in Slang from 1899 just sold on ebay for $13.95 including shipping. A reprint sells for $24.95
Elaine M
Paper costs for the type of those used for books went up. Ink went up a LOT, production of hardcovers isn't cheap anymore. Transportation costs went up. All this factors in to the final costs.
MsBittner
You would be surprised at the number of people at a publishing house whose work and expertise is essential to getting the finished product in stores and online.
acquisitions editor
content editor
copy editor
proofreader
designer
ARCs to reviewers
cover artist
typesetter oversight*
production oversight*
shipping by truck (or air, or sea)
digital transcription/edition
accounting
legal
All these people need to be fairly experienced to do the job well, and they all deserve a professional rate of pay.
*I don't know much about the manufacture of the physical book or how many people it takes, or the costs of the raw materials to print, bind, and trim books