U.S. inflation · 1988–1998
$100 in 1988 has the same buying power as
$138
in 1998
| Cumulative price change | 37.8% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 3.26% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $138 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $37.79 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| $100 in 1988 → 1998 | $138 |
| $100 in 1998 → 1988 | $72.58 |
Between 1988 and 1998, the Consumer Price Index went from 118.3 to 163. Cumulatively, prices increased 37.8%, which works out to an average of 3.26% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1988 bought what $0.73 buys in 1998.
| Amount in 1988 | Value in 1998 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.38 |
| $5.00 | $6.89 |
| $10.00 | $13.78 |
| $20.00 | $27.56 |
| $50.00 | $68.89 |
| $100 | $138 |
| $500 | $689 |
| $1,000 | $1,378 |
| $5,000 | $6,889 |
| $10,000 | $13,779 |
| $100,000 | $137,785 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,377,853 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1988 spending costs in 1998, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1988 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 3.26% | $138 |
| Medical care | 5.74% | $175 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 3.46% | $141 |
| Food | 3.12% | $136 |
| Housing | 3.07% | $135 |
| Transportation | 2.68% | $130 |
| Apparel | 1.43% | $115 |
| Energy | 1.43% | $115 |
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 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $125 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $129 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $133 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $136 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $138 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1988 to 1998: $100 is worth $138 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-1998/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1988 to 1998. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-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.