Inflation Adjustment Calculator
Try an example
$100 in 1990 is worth
$240 in 2024
Prices rose 140.0% between 1990 and 2024, an average of 2.61% a year, so you need $240 in 2024 to buy what $100 bought in 1990.
Put the other way: $100 in 2024 buys what $41.67 bought in 1990.
- CPI-U 1990
- 130.700
- CPI-U 2024
- 313.689
- Formula
- amount × CPI(2024) / CPI(1990)
Equivalent value over time
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, annual averages (1913–2024). Your own costs can differ: housing, healthcare and tuition have outpaced the overall index.
Adjust a dollar amount for inflation between any two years from 1913 to 2024 using the official U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), with the total and average yearly inflation and a chart of the equivalent value over time.
Formula
Worked Example
The CPI-U averaged 130.7 in 1990 and 313.689 in 2024, so prices rose by 313.689 ÷ 130.7 = 2.40 times. Turned around, $100 in 2024 buys what $41.67 bought in 1990.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which inflation measure does this use?
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), U.S. city average, annual averages published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is the most widely quoted U.S. inflation index and the one behind most inflation calculators.
Why does my own cost of living seem to rise faster?
The CPI averages a basket of goods across all urban households. Housing, healthcare, childcare and tuition have risen faster than the index for decades, while electronics and clothing have risen slower, so your personal rate depends on what you buy.
How long does it take inflation to halve the value of money?
Divide 70 by the inflation rate: at 3% a year money loses half its purchasing power in about 23 years, and at 2% in 35.