ECONOTE · Economy Tool · U.S. CPI-U
Inflation Calculator: Compare Money, Prices, and Real Wages
Use this simple inflation calculator to estimate how much a dollar amount has changed over time, how much salary is needed to keep the same purchasing power, and how future inflation assumptions can change everyday costs.
Interactive calculator
Calculate purchasing power
The historical mode uses embedded U.S. CPI-U index values. The latest included current-year value is March 2026. The future mode uses your own inflation assumption and does not predict inflation.
Result
Enter an amount and choose years to calculate how purchasing power changes.
Cumulative change
—
Annualized rate
—
Purchasing power
—
How the calculator works
Inflation is usually measured with a price index. In the United States, a widely used measure is the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, often called CPI-U. If the CPI rises from one year to another, the same dollar amount usually buys less than it did before.
Formula
Adjusted amount = original amount × ending CPI ÷ starting CPI
For example, if prices are much higher today than they were in an earlier year, the calculator shows how much money would be needed today to match the earlier purchasing power. The real wage mode uses the same idea, but it compares a past income with a current income.
Common use cases
Compare old prices
Estimate what a past price would be in another year's dollars.
Check real wages
See whether a salary increase kept up with inflation.
Plan rough budgets
Use an assumed inflation rate to estimate a future cost.
Explain purchasing power
Turn an abstract inflation rate into a practical money comparison.
Limitations to keep in mind
This calculator is useful for broad purchasing-power comparisons, but it is not a personal cost-of-living calculator. Your actual inflation experience can differ from CPI because your spending mix may differ from the average basket. Rent, health care, tuition, energy, food, and insurance can move very differently from the overall index.
Historical comparisons over very long periods should also be read carefully. The goods and services people buy today are not identical to the goods and services people bought many decades ago. Treat the result as an educational estimate, not a precise personal budget number.
FAQ
Is this investment advice?
No. This page is for educational purposes only. It does not recommend any investment, savings product, loan, or financial decision.
Why does the calculator use CPI?
CPI is a standard way to compare changes in consumer prices over time. It is commonly used to explain inflation and purchasing power.
Can I use this for rent, groceries, or health care?
You can use it as a broad benchmark, but category-specific prices can move differently from the overall CPI. For a narrow category, category-specific data is better.
How often should the data be updated?
For a static Blogger page, update the embedded CPI table after major BLS CPI releases or when adding a new calendar year.
Disclaimer
This tool is for general education only. It provides estimates based on broad price-index data or user-supplied assumptions. It is not financial, investment, tax, legal, or retirement advice.
Sources and data notes
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index program and CPI-U data.
- Embedded data: annual average CPI-U values from 1913 through 2025, plus the March 2026 CPI-U latest monthly value as the current-year reference.
- Current-year note: 2026 is not a full annual average in this static version. It uses the latest included monthly CPI value.