Inflation Calculator
Find out how inflation changes the value of your money. See what your savings could be worth in the future — or what they were worth in the past.
Quick inflation estimate
Enter an amount, pick an average inflation rate, and see how the value changes over time.
- Estimate how much prices will rise after a number of years at a given inflation rate.
- Find out what an amount from the past would be worth today, adjusted for inflation.
Calculators based on real CPI data
Want more accurate results? These calculators use official consumer price index data for specific countries.
Inflation Calculator
Inflation & Purchasing Power Over Time
Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises. As inflation increases, every unit of currency buys a smaller percentage of a good or service.
In simpler terms, inflation erodes your purchasing power. A sum of money that could buy a full grocery cart ten years ago might only buy a half-full cart today. This calculator helps you visualize that change. By applying a fixed annual percentage, you can estimate how much money you would need in the future to match today's value, or how much today's money would have been worth in the past.
FAQ
How we calculate the inflation-adjusted value?
This calculator uses a fixed average inflation rate to estimate changes in value. Unlike historical tools that track specific monthly economic data (CPI), this tool projects value based on a steady percentage rate that you define. This is ideal for hypothetical scenarios or general estimates.
We use the compound interest formula to calculate these adjustments.
1. Calculating Future Value (Inflation Forward) When you want to know how much a current amount will cost in the future, we multiply the amount by the inflation rate over the number of years:
2. Calculating Past Value (Deflation/Backward) When you want to know what a current amount was worth in the past, we divide the amount to remove the accumulated inflation:
Where:
- V is the Value (Amount)
- r is the inflation rate (percentage)
- n is the number of years
How to explain the results?
The results show you the "equivalent" amount of money needed to maintain the same purchasing power.
- If the result is higher than your original amount: This usually happens when calculating into the future(when the inflation rate is positive). It means your money has lost value. You will need more money in the future to buy the same things you buy today.
- If the result is lower than your original amount: This usually happens when calculating backward(when the inflation rate is positive). It means money was "stronger" in the past; you needed less money back then to buy the same items.
Can I use CPI data for more accurate inflation calculation?
This specific calculator is designed for simplicity and speed using a fixed percentage. It is a "what-if" tool (e.g., "What happens to my savings if inflation stays at 3% for 10 years?").
However, real-world inflation fluctuates wildly based on economic events. For strict historical accuracy, you should use Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, which tracks the actual price changes of goods over time.
If you need precise historical data for a specific country, please use our country-specific above.