Inflation Calculator
See how inflation erodes today's dollar over decades.
$1,000 from 1990 = today
$2,548
- Same $1,000 now buys
- $392
- Cumulative inflation
- 155%
- Years
- 36
of 1990 stuff
1990 → 2026
That's 155% cumulative inflation from 1990 to 2026: cash that sat still lost 61% of its buying power. Source: BLS
Your numbers
$1,000
Next steps
The Inflation Calculator shows what today's dollars will buy in 5, 10, or 30 years — and what past dollars buy today — using realistic CPI assumptions. Inflation is the silent tax that quietly turns a retirement plan that 'looks fine on paper' into a shortfall, and seeing the numbers explicitly is the only way to plan around it.
How this calculator works
- Enter an amount in today's dollars.
- Pick a time horizon (forward or backward).
- Set the inflation rate. The long-run US average is about 3% per year (BLS CPI-U). Recent years have run higher; the calculator lets you adjust.
- Read the projected purchasing power. The chart makes it visceral: a $1M nest egg at 3% inflation has the buying power of $554K after 20 years.
FV = PV × (1 + i)^t (or PV = FV / (1 + i)^t for past-to-present)Compound inflation works the same way as compound interest — but going the wrong way. Every year, prices rise by the inflation rate, so a fixed nominal dollar amount buys less. Over 20–30 years the effect is dramatic.
- FV
- Future value (what an amount will be worth in nominal dollars later)
- PV
- Present value (today's dollars)
- i
- Annual inflation rate
- t
- Time in years
Frequently asked questions
What inflation rate should I assume?
Long-run US CPI has averaged around 2–3% per year. Recent years have been higher; the calculator lets you adjust to your own assumption.
Why does inflation matter for retirement?
At 3% inflation, prices roughly double every 24 years. A retirement nest egg that ignores inflation can underfund your later years by half.
How can I protect savings from inflation?
Hold long-term savings in assets that historically beat inflation — broadly diversified stocks, I bonds, and TIPS — rather than only cash.
Sources used in this calculator
Reviewed by the Money Scale editorial team. How we source our data
Related calculators
See all- Rule of 72Years to double your money: the rule of 72 vs the exact math.
- Compound InterestTextbook compound interest with monthly contributions.
- Investment ProjectionProject a portfolio with contributions, fees, and inflation.
- Retirement BasicsSee if your savings rate gets you to 65.
- Savings vs InvestingCompare HYSA vs index funds after fees and inflation.
- 401(k) ProjectionProject a 401(k) with employer match and salary growth.
Professional calculator
Retirement Planner
See what inflation does to a whole retirement, not just a single sum.
Open the Retirement PlannerFree, no signup, runs in your browser. Educational modeling only — not financial advice.
Free newsletter
Money Scale Weekly — one chart, one idea, every week.
A short, plain-English read on saving, investing and compounding, with the numbers run for you. Free.