About the Inflation Calculator
Calculate what today's prices will cost in the future and what a future amount will be worth in today's money, at any inflation rate, with a year-by-year table.
Key features
- Future cost of today's prices
- Future value of money in today's terms
- Any inflation rate, including high inflation
- Percentage of purchasing power lost
- Year-by-year table
- Any currency
See what inflation does to your money
Inflation quietly changes what money is worth. Use this calculator to see what today's spending will cost in the future, and what a future amount (like a pension or savings goal) will really be worth in today's money.
The formulas
Future cost = Amount × (1 + r)ⁿ
Purchasing power = Amount ÷ (1 + r)ⁿ
where r is the yearly inflation rate and n is the number of years.
1,000 at 3% inflation
| Years | Future cost | Today's value of 1,000 then |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1,159.27 | 862.61 |
| 10 | 1,343.92 | 744.09 |
| 20 | 1,806.11 | 553.68 |
| 30 | 2,427.26 | 411.99 |
At 7% inflation, 1,000 is worth only 508.35 in today's money after 10 years, and 258.42 after 20.
The rule of 70
Divide 70 by the inflation rate to estimate how many years it takes prices to double: at 3%, about 23 years; at 7%, about 10 years.
Protecting your money from inflation
- Compare savings rates with inflation to find your real return.
- Long-term investments such as diversified funds have historically beaten inflation over long periods, with more short-term risk.
- Index retirement and savings goals to inflation, as the retirement calculator does.
Related tools
Compound interest calculator, CAGR calculator, and ROI calculator.
How to use the Inflation Calculator
- Enter your numbers in the fields above. Units and options can be changed at any time.
- The result updates instantly as you type; there's no calculate button to press.
- Check the breakdown under the main result for the details behind the number.
- Adjust the inputs to compare scenarios, for example a different rate or term.