A dollar in 1970 bought about as much as $8 does in 2025. CPI-U measures the average change in prices paid by urban consumers for a basket of goods and services; your personal inflation may differ. 2026 uses an estimate.
How to use the Buying Power Calculator
- Amount
- In year
- Compared with year
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Enter an amount, the year it is from and the year to compare with.
Tips
- Use real (inflation-adjusted) figures to compare across years.
- Check whether data are seasonally adjusted.
- Use the same currency and base year throughout.
- Economic models simplify reality – treat results as illustrations, not forecasts.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing nominal and real values.
- Comparing percentage changes with percentage-point changes.
- Treating correlations as causes.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Amount | Amount in your currency |
| In year | Choose one: 2026 (estimate), 2025, 2024, 2023 … |
| Compared with year | Choose one: 2026 (estimate), 2025, 2024, 2023 … |
What each result means
- CPI in the first year = (([In year] – floor([In year]))×1000)
- CPI in the second year = (([Compared with year] – floor([Compared with year]))×1000)
- Equivalent buying power = [Amount]×[CPI in the second year]÷[CPI in the first year]
- Value of $1 from the first year = [CPI in the first year]÷[CPI in the second year]
- Cumulative inflation = ([CPI in the second year]÷[CPI in the first year] – 1)×100
Example values
How the main result changes when Amount changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Amount | Equivalent buying power |
|---|---|
| 50 | 123.14 |
| 75 | 184.72 |
| 100 | 246.29 |
| 125 | 307.86 |
| 150 | 369.43 |
| 200 | 492.58 |
Formula
Equivalent amount = amount × CPI(target year) ÷ CPI(start year)Buying power of $1 = CPI(start) ÷ CPI(target)Average inflation = (CPI(target) ÷ CPI(start))^(1/years) − 1Worked example
Inputs — Amount: $100; In year: 1990; Compared with year: 2025.
Results — CPI in the first year = 130.7; CPI in the second year = 321.9; Equivalent buying power = $246.29; Value of $1 from the first year = $0.41; Cumulative inflation = 146.29 %; Average yearly inflation = 2.61 %.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $100 from 1990 worth today?
About $246 in 2025 dollars, based on CPI-U.
What is buying power?
How much a given amount of money can buy.
Which CPI is used?
The CPI-U annual average published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What formula does the Buying Power Calculator use?
Equivalent amount = amount × CPI(target year) ÷ CPI(start year).