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CalcTortoise

Inflation Calculator

See what things will cost in future and how much buying power your money loses each year at the inflation rate you choose.

Written by the CalcTortoise editorial team · How we work

US prices rose 3% a year on average from 1928 to 2025. Use the rate where you live.

years

Cost in 20 years

$1,806

At 3% inflation, something that costs $1,000 today will cost $1,806 in 20 years. The same $1,000 will then buy only what $554 buys today.

Buying power then (today’s money)
$554
Buying power lost
44.6%

Illustration only, not investment, tax or legal advice.

Rising prices and falling buying powerWhat it will costWhat your money will buy (today’s value)

Year by year

YearCostBuying power (today’s money)
Year 1$1,030$971
Year 2$1,061$943
Year 3$1,093$915
Year 4$1,126$888
Year 5$1,159$863
Year 6$1,194$837
Year 7$1,230$813
Year 8$1,267$789
Year 9$1,305$766
Year 10$1,344$744
Year 11$1,384$722
Year 12$1,426$701
Year 13$1,469$681
Year 14$1,513$661
Year 15$1,558$642
Year 16$1,605$623
Year 17$1,653$605
Year 18$1,702$587
Year 19$1,754$570
Year 20$1,806$554

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter an amount and the inflation rate where you live.
  2. Choose how many years ahead to look.

Frequently asked questions

How does inflation affect what my money buys?

At 3% a year, something costing $1,000 today will cost $1,806 in 20 years; your money loses 45% of its buying power. At 6% inflation the same item would cost $3,207.

Which rate should I use?

The long-run inflation rate where you live. Central banks in many countries aim for about 2%, but actual inflation differs widely between countries and decades.

What does the “Past years” mode use?

US consumer prices (CPI-U), the longest consistent public series. For other countries, use the future mode with your own rate.

Sources and method

Standard compound-interest formulas, tested against worked examples. Nothing here depends on outside data; the rates you type in are your own assumptions.

No outside data is used. The numbers you type in are the only inputs.

Page and formula last reviewed . How we calculate · Editorial policy · Corrections and change log

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Last updated 10 October 2026. For information only — not financial advice. Check the final figures with your lender or bank.