Inflation Calculator

What is the Inflation Calculator?

Inflation is the reason $100 in 1990 doesn't buy what $100 buys today. This calculator tells you exactly how much a given amount of money has changed in purchasing power over time — or what something will likely cost in the future at a given inflation rate. It's useful for anyone trying to understand historical price changes, compare salaries across different decades, or figure out how much their retirement savings actually needs to grow to keep pace with rising costs. CalciHub's inflation calculator works for both past adjustments (using historical CPI data) and future projections.

How Does It Work?

The calculator applies a consistent inflation rate across the number of years, compounding annually. The formula is:

FV = PV × (1 + i)ⁿ

FV = Future value in adjusted dollars

PV = Present value (the original dollar amount)

i = Annual inflation rate (as a decimal)

n = Number of years

How to Use CalciHub's Inflation Calculator

1. Enter the dollar amount you want to adjust.

2. Input the starting year (or current year for future projections).

3. Set the end year.

4. Use the default inflation rate (based on historical CPI average) or enter a custom rate.

5. Click Calculate to see the inflation-adjusted value.

Tip: Use this tool to reality-check salary offers. A job paying $80,000 today is worth less in five years if raises don't keep up with inflation.

A Quick Example

David's grandfather bought a house in Chicago for $35,000 in 1975. David wants to understand what that was worth in today's dollars.

Original amount: $35,000

Start year: 1975

End year: 2024

Average inflation rate: 3.5% (approximate historical average)

Inflation-adjusted value: approximately $196,000

So his grandfather's $35,000 purchase had the same purchasing power as about $196,000 today. It also explains why home prices feel so much higher now — they are, measured in real dollars.

Frequently Asked Questions