U.S. inflation · 1988–1993
$100 in 1988 has the same buying power as
$122
in 1993
| Cumulative price change | 22.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 4.08% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $122 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $22.15 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| CPI in 1993 | 144.5 |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| Inflation in 1993 | 2.99% |
| $100 in 1988 → 1993 | $122 |
| $100 in 1993 → 1988 | $81.87 |
Between 1988 and 1993, the Consumer Price Index went from 118.3 to 144.5. Cumulatively, prices increased 22.1%, which works out to an average of 4.08% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1988 bought what $0.82 buys in 1993.
| Amount in 1988 | Value in 1993 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.22 |
| $5.00 | $6.11 |
| $10.00 | $12.21 |
| $20.00 | $24.43 |
| $50.00 | $61.07 |
| $100 | $122 |
| $500 | $611 |
| $1,000 | $1,221 |
| $5,000 | $6,107 |
| $10,000 | $12,215 |
| $100,000 | $122,147 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,221,471 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1988 spending costs in 1993, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1988 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 4.08% | $122 |
| Medical care | 7.76% | $145 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 4.28% | $123 |
| Transportation | 3.71% | $120 |
| Food | 3.58% | $119 |
| Housing | 3.57% | $119 |
| Energy | 3.13% | $117 |
| Apparel | 2.99% | $116 |
Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1988: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1988 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 118.3 | 4.1% | $100 |
| 1989 | 124 | 4.8% | $105 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $110 |
| 1991 | 136.2 | 4.2% | $115 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $119 |
| 1993 | 144.5 | 3.0% | $122 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1988 to 1993: $100 is worth $122 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-1993/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1988 to 1993. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-1993/
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.