Inflation Calculator
Calculate how inflation erodes purchasing power over time.
See the future value of money and what your dollars will really be worth.
Future Value & Purchasing Power
Inflation reduces the purchasing power of money over time. The calculations use:
Future Price = Current Price × (1 + r)^n
Purchasing Power = Current Amount / (1 + r)^n
Where:
- r = Annual inflation rate (as a decimal)
- n = Number of years
Example: At 3% annual inflation:
- Something costing $100 today will cost $134.39 in 10 years
- $100 today will only buy $74.41 worth of goods in 10 years
Historical U.S. inflation averages:
- Last 10 years: ~3.0%
- Last 30 years: ~2.6%
- Last 100 years: ~3.1%