I don't think they necessarily need to agree. "How expensive is stuff getting these days?" is a broad, multidimensional question, and I think looking for a sing

I don't think they necessarily need to agree. "How expensive is stuff getting these days?" is a broad, multidimensional question, and I think looking for a single numerical answer tends to confuse people more than it clarifies. (Even today, we have "core CPI" and "median CPI" and "chained urban CPI" and so on.)