Free Online Inflation Calculator
Inflation Calculator
Adjust money across time with exact compounding. Visualize, export a PDF, and share a link.
Note: To guarantee exact math, constant-rate mode uses whole years. For monthly precision, use Historical/Custom mode below.
Enter rates as one per line. Accepts either YYYY,rate% or YYYY-MM,rate%. Example:
2018,1.92019,2.32020,1.22021,4.72022,8.02023,4.1
Inflation Calculator: Adjust Money for Inflation
Ever looked at an old receipt and thought, “Wow, that used to be so cheap”? That’s inflation doing its thing. Prices change over time, which means the value of money changes too. An inflation calculator helps you compare money from different years so you’re not guessing—you’re comparing apples to apples.
On this page, I’ll quickly explain what an inflation calculator is, why it’s useful, and exactly how to use it—step by step. I’ll also share a quick example and answer three common questions at the end.
What Is an Inflation Calculator?
An inflation calculator shows how much a past amount of money would be worth today (or any other year) after taking price increases into account. It uses an official price index—usually the Consumer Price Index (CPI)—to estimate how the general cost of goods and services has changed over time.
Think of it like this:
- Nominal value = the number printed on the money back then.
- Real value = the buying power after adjusting for price changes.
So if you earned $1,000 in 2005, an inflation calculator tells you what amount in 2025 has roughly the same buying power.
Why it matters
- Budgeting & planning: Make better savings and salary goals.
- Comparing deals: Check if an investment actually beat inflation.
- Historical context: Understand what past prices mean in today’s terms.
Step-by-Step: How to Use the Inflation Calculator
1. Enter the amount.
- Type the money you want to adjust—say, $1,000.
2. Choose the “From” year (starting year).
- Pick the year the money comes from (e.g., 2005).
3. Choose the “To” year (target year).
- Select the year you want to compare with (e.g., 2025).
4. Select country or index (if available).
- Many calculators use CPI by default. If there’s a country dropdown, choose the one that matches your data.
5. Click “Calculate.”
- The tool will instantly show the inflation-adjusted amount (today’s buying power).
6. Review the summary.
Look for:
- Adjusted amount (e.g., $1,000 → $1,650)
- Cumulative inflation percentage
- Average annual inflation (if shown)
7. Optional: Compare scenarios.
- Try different amounts or years to see how buying power changes across time.
Pro tip: If you’re checking wages or salaries, compare your pay growth to the inflation-adjusted result. If your salary grew less than inflation, your real purchasing power went down.
Quick Example (Just to See the Idea)
Let’s say you want to know what $1,000 in 2005 is “worth” in 2025.
- Suppose overall prices rose about 65% over that period (illustrative number).
- Adjusted value ≈ $1,000 × (1 + 0.65) = $1,650.
So, roughly speaking, you’d need $1,650 in 2025 to buy what $1,000 bought in 2005.
Note: Your calculator will use real CPI data for exact results—my numbers here are just an easy example.
Handy Tips & Common Gotchas
Different tools can show slightly different results.
- That’s normal because they may use different inflation series (e.g., headline CPI vs. core CPI) or update schedules.
Short time frames can be noisy.
- Month-to-month inflation can swing. For cleaner comparisons, use full calendar years when possible.
Inflation is about averages.
- Housing, healthcare, and education might rise faster (or slower) than CPI. If you’re focused on a specific category, this matters.
Inflation ≠ investment return.
- If your savings or investments grew slower than inflation, your real return might be negative even if the number went up.
FAQs
1) How accurate is an inflation calculator?
It’s as accurate as the inflation index behind it. CPI is the standard for general prices and is updated regularly. Results are estimates of average price changes, not exact costs for every item.
2) Why does my result differ from another website?
Different sites may use different CPI series, countries, or update schedules. Some also round differently. If you need consistency, use the same tool and settings each time.
3) Can I adjust money from the future to the past (or vice versa)?
Yes. You can compare any two years. Going from past → present shows how much prices have risen. Going present → past shows what today’s money was worth back then.
Final thought
If you care about real buying power—salaries, savings, rent, or long-term plans—adjusting for inflation is non-negotiable. Use the calculator, play with a few scenarios, and you’ll instantly see how time changes the value of money.