U.S. inflation · 1978–1998
$100 in 1978 has the same buying power as
$250
in 1998
| Cumulative price change | 150.0% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.69% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $250 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $150 |
| CPI in 1978 | 65.2 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| Inflation in 1978 | 7.59% |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| $100 in 1978 → 1998 | $250 |
| $100 in 1998 → 1978 | $40.00 |
Between 1978 and 1998, the Consumer Price Index went from 65.2 to 163. Cumulatively, prices increased 150.0%, which works out to an average of 4.69% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1978 bought what $0.40 buys in 1998.
| Amount in 1978 | Value in 1998 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.50 |
| $5.00 | $12.50 |
| $10.00 | $25.00 |
| $20.00 | $50.00 |
| $50.00 | $125 |
| $100 | $250 |
| $500 | $1,250 |
| $1,000 | $2,500 |
| $5,000 | $12,500 |
| $10,000 | $25,000 |
| $100,000 | $250,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,500,000 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1978 spending costs in 1998, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1978 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.69% | $250 |
| Medical care | 7.07% | $392 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.99% | $265 |
| Housing | 4.83% | $257 |
| Transportation | 4.24% | $229 |
| Food | 4.10% | $223 |
| Energy | 3.42% | $196 |
| Apparel | 2.49% | $163 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1978: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1978 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 65.2 | 7.6% | $100 |
| 1979 | 72.6 | 11.3% | $111 |
| 1980 | 82.4 | 13.5% | $126 |
| 1981 | 90.9 | 10.3% | $139 |
| 1982 | 96.5 | 6.2% | $148 |
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $153 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $159 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $165 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $168 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $174 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $181 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $190 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $200 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $209 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $215 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $222 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $227 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $234 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $241 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $246 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $250 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1978 to 1998: $100 is worth $250 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1998/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1978 to 1998. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1978-to-1998/
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U annual averages (series CUUR0000SA0; category indexes listed on the data sources page). See how these numbers are calculated.