Inflation Calculator

How to use the Inflation Calculator

1. 01
   Enter an amount. A sum of money in today's dollars.
2. 02
   Set an inflation rate. The long-run US average is around 2–3% per year.
3. 03
   Choose a number of years. See both the future cost and the future buying power.

How is it calculated?

Future cost grows the amount by inflation: amount × (1 + rate)ʸ — what something costing that much today will cost later. Future buying power does the reverse: amount ÷ (1 + rate)ʸ — what today's money will be worth then. At 3% for 20 years, $1,000 of goods will cost ~$1,806, and $1,000 will buy only ~$554 of today's goods.