Inflation Calculator
Calculate the buying power of money over time. Find out what a dollar amount from the past is worth today, or what today's dollars will be worth in the future.
Part of our Math & Percentage Calculators collection.
Inflation Calculator
Free online calculator
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US average is ~2.9% (1913–2025). Use 3–4% for conservative future estimates.
How to Use This Calculator
- 1
Enter the dollar amount you want to adjust for inflation.
- 2
Set the starting year and ending year.
- 3
The default inflation rate (2.9%) represents the US historical average. Adjust if using a different period or country.
- 4
See the inflation-adjusted equivalent amount.
Inflation Formula
Future Value = Present Value × (1 + inflation rate)^years To find today's equivalent of a past amount, the formula works in reverse: Today's Value = Past Value × (1 + avg inflation)^years elapsed US average inflation 1913–2025: ~2.9% annually
Example Calculation
Example: What is $100 in 2000 worth today (2025)?
Inputs
amount: 100startYear: 2000endYear: 2025annualInflation: 2.9
Result
$205.19 in 2025 dollars
$100 in 2000 × (1.029)^25 = $205.19 in 2025. Prices roughly doubled in 25 years at 2.9% average inflation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What has US inflation averaged historically?
The US CPI has averaged about 2.9% annually since 1913. From 2000–2020, inflation averaged ~2.2%. The 2021–2023 period saw unusually high inflation of 4–8%.
How does inflation affect savings?
At 3% inflation, money loses half its purchasing power in about 24 years (the Rule of 72 applied to inflation: 72/3 = 24). This is why keeping large sums in low-yield accounts is effectively losing money in real terms.