Planning

Inflation calculator

See what the same amount may buy in the future and how much an item with today's price could cost after several years.

Future purchasing power

$6,756

Future cost of the same item

$14,802

Purchasing power lost

$3,244

Price multiplier

×1.48

Cost of the same item over time

110

Hover, tap or focus a column to see its exact value.

Inflation by year

Detailed values use the same assumptions as the summary above.

Inflation by year
Year	Annual inflation, %	Future cost of the same item	Purchasing power
1	4%	$10,400.00	$9,615.38
2	4%	$10,816.00	$9,245.56
3	4%	$11,248.64	$8,889.96
4	4%	$11,698.59	$8,548.04
5	4%	$12,166.53	$8,219.27
6	4%	$12,653.19	$7,903.15
7	4%	$13,159.32	$7,599.18
8	4%	$13,685.69	$7,306.90
9	4%	$14,233.12	$7,025.87
10	4%	$14,802.44	$6,755.64

Actual inflation varies by year, country and spending category.

Calculation method

How inflation affects money

Future cost grows by the compounded inflation factor. Purchasing power is calculated in the opposite direction by dividing today's amount by that same factor.

Detailed guide

Inflation, future prices and purchasing power

Inflation means the same amount of money generally buys fewer goods and services over time. The projection mode calculates both the future cost of an item and the future purchasing power of money at a constant annual inflation rate.

The English page uses only the user-defined projection. It does not apply Russian historical data to U.S. dollars. Official U.S. historical comparisons should use CPI-U data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Build an inflation scenario

1. Enter today’s amount

Use either the current price of a future expense or the cash amount whose purchasing power you want to test.

2. Choose inflation

Enter a constant annual rate for the scenario. Compare more than one rate for long time horizons.

3. Read both directions

Future cost shows price growth; future purchasing power shows what today’s cash may buy later.

Inflation formulas

Future cost = Present amount × (1 + inflation)ʸ

The future cost compounds the selected annual rate for y years. Future purchasing power divides the present amount by the same factor.

This is a constant-rate projection. A historical CPI comparison multiplies the actual index changes between two dates instead.

Purchasing-power example

At 3% annual inflation for 10 years, an item costing $1,000 today would cost about $1,343.92. Conversely, $1,000 held as cash would have purchasing power of about $744.09 in today’s dollars.

Limits of an inflation estimate

Personal inflation

Your spending mix may change faster or slower than the broad consumer index, especially for housing, health care or education.

Nominal versus real returns

A nominal investment return includes inflation. Subtracting inflation approximately converts it to a real purchasing-power return.

Historical U.S. data

For comparisons between specific U.S. years, use an official CPI calculator rather than a constant-rate projection.

Decision guide

Interpret purchasing-power changes carefully

High-ranking inflation pages explain cumulative inflation, CPI, and the difference between a broad index and a household’s own spending. This calculator uses the rate you enter, so it models a scenario rather than reproducing an official historical CPI series.

Inflation compounds

Annual rates apply to an already changed price level. Two years at the same rate therefore should not be added arithmetically. To reverse the calculation and estimate purchasing power, divide by the cumulative price factor rather than subtracting the total percentage from the amount.

Your basket may move differently

A published index represents a broad basket with standardized weights. A household spending heavily on rent, medical care, tuition, or travel can experience a different rate. Use a range and examine the categories that dominate your own budget.

Connect inflation to returns and goals

Nominal investment growth does not guarantee greater purchasing power. Compare the investment growth factor with the inflation factor, then allow for fees and taxes. For a future purchase, increase the target amount rather than treating today’s price as fixed.

Scenario checks

Use matching dates and periods.
Compound annual rates.
Test a personal-basket estimate.
Compare nominal and real values.

How to compare scenarios

Save a baseline, then change only one input at a time: amount, rate, term, or recurring payment. Record the supporting outputs as well as the headline result—contributions, interest, total cost, remaining balance, or target date. This isolates the assumption that actually changes the decision instead of hiding it inside several simultaneous edits.

Do not tune every assumption until the calculator produces a preferred answer. Start with a cautious case, follow with a central case, and treat the favorable case as an upside scenario. A calculator result is not a lender quote, market forecast, or tax determination; actual dates, rounding, fees, contract rules, and required payments must be checked in primary documents.

Keep enough precision in the inputs and round only the output used for a decision. If the estimate supports a transaction, loan, tax calculation, or long-term plan, repeat it with figures from the contract or official statement. Any difference helps identify the assumption that still needs verification.