Inflation Calculator

See what a dollar amount from any year is really worth today. $100 from 1990 has the buying power of $253.39 in 2026 — prices have risen 153% over 36 years, an average of 2.6% a year, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' CPI-U index.

Amount ($)

Is worth this much in

$253.39

Value in 2026

+153.4%

Total change

2.62%/yr

Annualized rate

Based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U (Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers), covering 1970–2026. The 2026 value is a partial-year running average and will be revised as the year completes. Reflects average price changes across a general basket of goods — your personal cost of living may differ.

What money from these years is worth today

How was this tool?

Your feedback helps us improve Inflation Calculator.

Why use Inflation Calculator?

Inflation erodes purchasing power gradually enough that it's easy to underestimate over a decade or two — and easy to overestimate over a single year, since annual inflation is noisy. This calculator uses the actual CPI-U ratio between your two chosen years: amount × (CPI at the end year ÷ CPI at the start year), the same method behind every serious inflation calculator, sourced from BLS data. Two numbers matter beyond the headline conversion. Total percent change tells you the cumulative effect — useful for "how much has this really gone up" questions. The annualized rate (compound annual growth rate) tells you the average yearly pace, which is more useful for comparing inflation periods of different lengths: the late 1970s ran close to 10% a year, while the 2010s mostly ran under 2%. The pre-computed year pages carry conversion tables for common amounts from each notable decade to today.

Key benefits

Real U.S. BLS CPI-U data, not an estimate
Covers 1970 through 2026
Shows both total and annualized inflation rate
Compare any two years, not just 'then vs now'
Pre-computed pages for notable decades

Features

CPI-U ratio calculation: amount × (CPI at end ÷ CPI at start)
Annualized (CAGR) inflation rate
Any start/end year pair from 1970-2026

Popular use cases

Comparing a historical salary or price to today's dollars
Adjusting an old contract or benchmark for inflation
Understanding how much purchasing power a saved amount lost
Classroom or research use of historical price data

How to use Inflation Calculator

1
Enter an amount
Any dollar figure.
2
Pick the starting year
1970 through 2026.
3
Pick the comparison year
Defaults to the latest available year, but you can compare any two years.
4
Read the result
Adjusted value, total percent change, and the annualized inflation rate.

Frequently asked questions

How much is $100 from 1990 worth today?

$253.39 in 2026 — the CPI-U rose from 130.7 in 1990 to 331.18 in 2026, a 153.4% increase, or about 2.6% a year on average.

What data does this use?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), the standard measure of U.S. inflation. It tracks a broad basket of goods and services — housing, food, transportation, medical care — so it reflects average price changes, not any single item.

Why does my personal cost of living feel different from the CPI?

CPI is a national average across a fixed basket of goods. If you spend more than average on categories that rose faster (like housing or healthcare) or less on categories that fell (like electronics), your personal inflation rate will differ from the headline number.

Why does the range start at 1970?

Consistent, directly comparable CPI-U data (1982-84=100 base) is readily available from 1970 onward. Earlier published tables use an older base period that isn't directly convertible without introducing error, so the calculator stays within the consistent range.

Last reviewed: August 2026

What money from these years is worth today

How was this tool?

Related tools