U.S. inflation · 1983–1988
$100 in 1983 has the same buying power as
$119
in 1988
| Cumulative price change | 18.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.50% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $119 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $18.78 |
| CPI in 1983 | 99.6 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| Inflation in 1983 | 3.21% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| $100 in 1983 → 1988 | $119 |
| $100 in 1988 → 1983 | $84.19 |
Between 1983 and 1988, the Consumer Price Index went from 99.6 to 118.3. Cumulatively, prices increased 18.8%, which works out to an average of 3.50% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1983 bought what $0.84 buys in 1988.
| Amount in 1983 | Value in 1988 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.19 |
| $5.00 | $5.94 |
| $10.00 | $11.88 |
| $20.00 | $23.76 |
| $50.00 | $59.39 |
| $100 | $119 |
| $500 | $594 |
| $1,000 | $1,188 |
| $5,000 | $5,939 |
| $10,000 | $11,878 |
| $100,000 | $118,775 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,187,751 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1983 spending costs in 1988, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1983 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.50% | $119 |
| Medical care | 6.62% | $138 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.38% | $124 |
| Housing | 3.56% | $119 |
| Food | 3.53% | $119 |
| Apparel | 2.86% | $115 |
| Transportation | 1.83% | $109 |
| Energy | -2.22% | $89.39 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1983: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1983 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 99.6 | 3.2% | $100 |
| 1984 | 103.9 | 4.3% | $104 |
| 1985 | 107.6 | 3.6% | $108 |
| 1986 | 109.6 | 1.9% | $110 |
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $114 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $119 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1983 to 1988: $100 is worth $119 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1983-to-1988/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1983 to 1988. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1983-to-1988/
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.