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Inflation Calculator

See how inflation affects the purchasing power of your money over time.

Details

The U.S. long-term historical average is roughly 3%.

Enter your numbers and select Calculate to see results.

About This Calculator

This calculator shows how a given amount of money changes in purchasing power over time due to inflation. Enter an amount, an assumed average annual inflation rate, and a number of years to see what that amount is equivalent to in the future — or use it in reverse to see what a past amount equals today.

How This Is Calculated

Future Cost = Amount × (1 + inflation rate)^years

$10,000 today, at 3% average annual inflation, would need to grow to about $18,061 in 20 years just to buy the same goods and services.

Assumptions

  • Assumes a constant average annual inflation rate; real inflation fluctuates significantly year to year.
  • Based on the general concept of purchasing power, not a specific basket of goods.

Frequently Asked Questions

If your savings or investments grow slower than inflation, your purchasing power actually declines over time even as the dollar amount grows. This is why comparing investment returns to inflation ('real return') matters for long-term planning.

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Last updated January 15, 2026. Results are estimates for informational purposes only — read our disclaimer.