Inflation calculator
What today's money will cost in future years.
About this calculator
This shows how a steady rate of inflation changes prices over time, and how much your money would buy later.
It uses only the rate you enter and does not look up official figures. For a past or current rate, check the US Bureau of Labor Statistics or the UK Office for National Statistics.
How it works
Compounds the amount by your inflation rate each year.
Worked example
- Amount today: $1,000
- Inflation: 3% a year
- Years ahead: 10
Same goods in 10 years: $1,343.92
The story behind it
Where the idea came from: Price tracking by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, whose Consumer Price Index data goes back to 1913.
Governments began measuring the cost of living seriously in the early 1900s. Those long records show what steady price rises do over time: a few percent a year looks small until it's compounded for decades. This calculator lets you try any rate and see the effect for yourself.
Why you can trust this calculator
- It runs in your browser. Nothing you type into it is sent anywhere.
- The method is explained on this page, so you can check it yourself.
- Free to use, with no sign-up.
- Results are estimates, not financial advice.
- Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll look into it.
After 15 years as a mathematics educator, I built CalculStore to give students, teachers, professionals and anyone working with numbers simple, reliable tools.
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