Prices Mostly Going Up In 2018, With A Few Exceptions

(CBS) -- Prepare yourself for sticker shock in 2018. You'll pay more for a lot of things. But surprisingly, some essentials could cost less.

CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports.

If you take public transportation, Metra fares will go up as much as $12.50 for a monthly pass beginning Feb. 1. CTA and Pace fares already jumped 25 cents.

If you use Uber or Lyft, add on another 15 cents a ride thanks to a new Chicago fee.

As for gasoline prices, expect to pay an extra 35 cents to 70 cents a gallon by spring.

You'll pay more for entertainment with the 4 percent increase in Chicago's amusement tax. For a $60 ticket, that fee will now be $5.40 extra.

At home, your Netflix monthly fee goes up by a buck to $10.99.

But there may be some good news for people who buy prescription drugs.

The cost of some 30 prescription medications will drop in 2018 because several brand name drugs could switch to generic.

On another front, even though ComEd rates are rising, your electric bill will actually go down $1 to $ 2 a month. The new tax reform bill saves Comed money so it's passing the savings on to consumers.

Stock up on those "Forever" stamps now. Beginning Jan. 21,  rates go up a penny per stamp and 5 cents for flat rate packages.

Extreme weather could impact produce prices. Florida's recent cold snap already caused green beans to jump $1 a pound. And those historic fires in California boosted the price of oranges by 49 cents a pound.

Weather, along with higher shipping costs, will drive up the price of flowers. Expect to pay $7.95 per stem for Valentine's Day roses -- $2 more than last year.

Looking for new place to live? Thirty-year-fixed mortgage rates, under 4 percent now, could be 4.5 percent or higher later this year. But if you're looking for an apartment,  those winter offers of free months should continue, one observer notes.

Good news, too, for entrepreneurs: The filing fee to create a new company drops from $500 to $150.