See how rising prices erode the value of money over time.
An inflation calculator shows how the value of money changes over time. Because prices generally rise every year, the same amount of money buys less in the future than it does today. This tool estimates the future dollar amount needed to match today's purchasing power, and how much of your money's value would be eroded by inflation.
It multiplies a past amount by the ratio of a price index (like CPI) between the two dates, showing today's equivalent purchasing power.
The Consumer Price Index measures the average change in prices for a basket of common goods and services over time, widely used to track inflation.
Because of cumulative inflation, that same $100 had significantly more purchasing power in the past than an equivalent amount today.