Inflation table: purchasing power of $100 over time
Computed by FreeToolsVerse · Updated · How we check our numbers
At 3% inflation, $100 will buy only what $55.37 buys today after 20 years, and something that costs $100 now will cost $180.61. The tables below show the effect at other rates and horizons.
How to read these tables
- Choose a yearly inflation rate in the top row and the number of years in the left column.
- The first table shows how much of today's purchasing power $100 keeps. The second shows what a $100 basket costs in the future.
- Multiply by your own amount ÷ 100.
- Long-run inflation changes from year to year, so use these as scenarios, not forecasts.
Purchasing power: what $100 today will be worth in today's money
| Years | 2% inflation | 3% inflation | 4% inflation | 5% inflation | 6% inflation | 8% inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $90.57 | $86.26 | $82.19 | $78.35 | $74.73 | $68.06 |
| 10 | $82.03 | $74.41 | $67.56 | $61.39 | $55.84 | $46.32 |
| 15 | $74.30 | $64.19 | $55.53 | $48.10 | $41.73 | $31.52 |
| 20 | $67.30 | $55.37 | $45.64 | $37.69 | $31.18 | $21.45 |
| 30 | $55.21 | $41.20 | $30.83 | $23.14 | $17.41 | $9.94 |
| 40 | $45.29 | $30.66 | $20.83 | $14.20 | $9.72 | $4.60 |
Future cost of something that costs $100 today
| Years | 2% inflation | 3% inflation | 4% inflation | 5% inflation | 6% inflation | 8% inflation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $110.41 | $115.93 | $121.67 | $127.63 | $133.82 | $146.93 |
| 10 | $121.90 | $134.39 | $148.02 | $162.89 | $179.08 | $215.89 |
| 15 | $134.59 | $155.80 | $180.09 | $207.89 | $239.66 | $317.22 |
| 20 | $148.59 | $180.61 | $219.11 | $265.33 | $320.71 | $466.10 |
| 30 | $181.14 | $242.73 | $324.34 | $432.19 | $574.35 | $1,006.27 |
| 40 | $220.80 | $326.20 | $480.10 | $704.00 | $1,028.57 | $2,172.45 |
Method and assumptions
Formula. Future cost = today's cost × (1 + inflation)^years. Purchasing power of a fixed sum = sum ÷ (1 + inflation)^years.
Assumptions. A constant yearly inflation rate. Prices of different goods rise at different speeds, and money in the bank may earn interest that offsets some of the loss.
Every figure on this page is generated by the same functions that power our calculators, and our automated tests compare a sample of cells with published reference values. You may quote or reuse the tables if you link back to this page.
Frequently asked questions
What is $100 worth after 20 years of 3% inflation?
It buys what $55.37 buys today, a loss of about 45% of its purchasing power.
How do I use this to plan savings?
Take the amount you need in today's money and multiply it by the second table's figure ÷ 100 for your horizon. That is the amount you will need in future money to buy the same things.
Work out your own numbers
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