Inflation Calculator
What a dollar from any year since 1913 is worth today, or any currency at a rate you set.
How to use Inflation Calculator
- Choose US dollars by year, or any currency at a rate you set.
- Enter the amount and the two years (or the rate and number of years).
- Read the equivalent value, the total price change and the average yearly inflation.
How it works
For US dollars the tool uses the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), annual averages on the 1982–84 = 100 base, published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and tabulated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (read 12 November 2026). The conversion is value = amount × CPI(to year) ÷ CPI(from year). Average yearly inflation is the compound rate between the two index values.
Data runs from 1913 to 2025 as final annual averages. 2026 is an estimate from the Minneapolis Fed, based on the change in prices to the third quarter, and will be replaced when the final figure is published. The tool labels it whenever it is used.
For any other currency, or to look ahead, choose "Any currency, at a rate": future cost = amount × (1 + rate)^years, and buying power = amount ÷ (1 + rate)^years.
Example
100 dollars in 1980 → 2020: CPI rose from 82.4 to 258.8, so 100 × 258.8 ÷ 82.4 = 314.08. Prices rose 214.1% in total, an average of 2.9% a year.
Frequently asked questions
How is inflation calculated?
By comparing a price index between two dates. The CPI tracks the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services. Dividing the later index by the earlier one gives how many times prices multiplied.
Which index does this use?
US CPI-U annual averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as tabulated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. It is the index most commonly used to adjust US dollar amounts.
Can I calculate inflation for pounds, euros or rupees?
Not from official data here: historical series are built in for the US dollar only. For other currencies choose "Any currency, at a rate" and enter the average inflation rate for your country and period.
Can it predict future inflation?
No. The rate mode shows what happens at the steady rate you choose. It is arithmetic, not a forecast.
Why does another calculator give a slightly different answer?
Some use monthly rather than annual-average index values, or a different index (such as CPI-W or PCE). Annual averages compare whole years.
Limitations
- Official historical data for the US dollar only, by whole year (annual averages), 1913 onward.
- The current year’s value is an estimate until the final annual average is published.
- CPI measures an average basket; your personal inflation can differ.
Last reviewed November 9, 2026. How we build and test tools.