Inflation Calculator: What Is $100 Worth Today?
What is $100 worth over time? This inflation calculator shows how rising prices change what money can buy. Enter an amount, an average inflation rate and a number of years to see the future price and the buying power of today’s dollars.
Quick answer
At 3% inflation, something that costs $100 today would cost about $134 in 10 years, $181 in 20 years and $243 in 30 years. Put the other way, $100 kept as cash would buy only about $55 worth of today’s goods after 20 years.
How to use the inflation calculator
- Amount today: a price, a salary or your savings.
- Average yearly inflation: many people use 2% to 3% for long-term planning; check the latest CPI for recent rates.
- Years: how far into the future you want to look.
Inflation tables
| Inflation rate | Price of $100 in 10 years | In 20 years | In 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2% | $121.90 | $148.59 | $181.14 |
| 3% | $134.39 | $180.61 | $242.73 |
| 4% | $148.02 | $219.11 | $324.34 |
| Inflation rate | Buying power of $100 after 10 years | After 20 years | After 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2% | $82.03 | $67.30 | $55.21 |
| 3% | $74.41 | $55.37 | $41.20 |
| 4% | $67.56 | $45.64 | $30.83 |
The formula
Future price = today's price × (1 + inflation)^years Buying power = amount ÷ (1 + inflation)^years
This calculator uses a steady average rate. Real inflation changes from year to year; to look back at actual past prices, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has an official CPI inflation calculator.
Protecting your money from inflation
- Keep short-term cash in high-yield savings so it earns something.
- Consider inflation-linked options such as TIPS or I bonds.
- For long-term goals, diversified investments have historically outpaced inflation over long periods.
- Plan retirement income in today’s dollars and adjust for inflation.
What this inflation calculator means for you
- Inflation quietly shrinks cash that earns nothing.
- A raise below inflation is a pay cut in real terms.
- Use real returns when planning long-term goals.
Frequently asked questions
What is $100 worth in 20 years?
At 3% inflation, $100 would buy about $55 of today’s goods, and today’s $100 basket would cost about $181.
What inflation rate should I use?
For long-term planning many people use 2% to 3%. Check the latest Consumer Price Index from the BLS for recent rates.
Is this the official CPI calculator?
No. It uses an average rate you choose. For exact historical prices, use the BLS CPI inflation calculator.
How does inflation affect retirement?
It raises future living costs: $40,000 a year of today’s spending would be about $97,000 in 30 years at 3%.
Can inflation be negative?
Yes, that is called deflation, but it has been rare in the U.S. in recent decades.
Related guides and calculators
- What is inflation?
- How much will $1 million be worth in 30 years?
- Nominal vs real interest rate
- What is an inflation-adjusted return?
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index
- BLS: CPI inflation calculator
- MonetaryReports: How we calculate
This guide is for educational purposes only and is not financial advice. The figures are estimates before taxes, fees and inflation, and real rates, returns and rules change over time.
