U.S. inflation · 1987–1998
$100 in 1987 has the same buying power as
$143
in 1998
| Cumulative price change | 43.5% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.34% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $143 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $43.49 |
| CPI in 1987 | 113.6 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| Inflation in 1987 | 3.65% |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| $100 in 1987 → 1998 | $143 |
| $100 in 1998 → 1987 | $69.69 |
Between 1987 and 1998, the Consumer Price Index went from 113.6 to 163. Cumulatively, prices increased 43.5%, which works out to an average of 3.34% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1987 bought what $0.70 buys in 1998.
| Amount in 1987 | Value in 1998 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.43 |
| $5.00 | $7.17 |
| $10.00 | $14.35 |
| $20.00 | $28.70 |
| $50.00 | $71.74 |
| $100 | $143 |
| $500 | $717 |
| $1,000 | $1,435 |
| $5,000 | $7,174 |
| $10,000 | $14,349 |
| $100,000 | $143,486 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,434,859 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1987 spending costs in 1998, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1987 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.34% | $143 |
| Medical care | 5.81% | $186 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.55% | $147 |
| Food | 3.21% | $142 |
| Housing | 3.14% | $140 |
| Transportation | 2.72% | $134 |
| Apparel | 1.69% | $120 |
| Energy | 1.37% | $116 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1987: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1987 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 113.6 | 3.6% | $100 |
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $104 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $109 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $115 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $120 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $124 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $127 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $130 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $134 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $138 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $141 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $143 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1987 to 1998: $100 is worth $143 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-to-1998/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1987 to 1998. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1987-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.