Tiny Toolkit

Inflation Calculator — Purchasing Power Over Time

Calculate how inflation erodes purchasing power over time by entering an amount, a start year, an end year, and an annual inflation rate. Two modes let you project future costs or look back at what a past price would be in today's dollars. Quick rate presets cover common planning scenarios.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What inflation rate should I use?
The US long-run average is approximately 3% per year. The Federal Reserve targets 2%. For recent years (2022–2024), actual inflation ran at 4–8%. Use 3% for long-term planning and adjust for known recent rates.
How is the adjusted value calculated?
The formula is: Adjusted Value = Original Amount × (1 + rate)^years. This computes how much you would need in the target year to have the same purchasing power as the original amount.
Can I calculate what a past price would be today?
Yes. Set the 'from year' to the past year and the 'to year' to the current year, then enter the original price. The result shows the equivalent cost in today's dollars.

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