U.S. inflation · 1988–2023
$100 in 1988 has the same buying power as
$258
in 2023
| Cumulative price change | 157.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.74% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $258 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $158 |
| CPI in 1988 | 118.3 |
| CPI in 2023 | 304.702 |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.14% |
| Inflation in 2023 | 4.12% |
| $100 in 1988 → 2023 | $258 |
| $100 in 2023 → 1988 | $38.82 |
Between 1988 and 2023, the Consumer Price Index went from 118.3 to 304.702. Cumulatively, prices increased 157.6%, which works out to an average of 2.74% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1988 bought what $0.39 buys in 2023.
| Amount in 1988 | Value in 2023 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.58 |
| $5.00 | $12.88 |
| $10.00 | $25.76 |
| $20.00 | $51.51 |
| $50.00 | $129 |
| $100 | $258 |
| $500 | $1,288 |
| $1,000 | $2,576 |
| $5,000 | $12,878 |
| $10,000 | $25,757 |
| $100,000 | $257,567 |
| $1,000,000 | $2,575,672 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1988 spending costs in 2023, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1988 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.74% | $258 |
| Medical care | 4.01% | $396 |
| Energy | 3.35% | $317 |
| Food | 2.91% | $273 |
| Housing | 2.88% | $270 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.65% | $250 |
| Transportation | 2.60% | $246 |
| Apparel | 0.35% | $113 |
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 |
| 1990 | 130.7 | 5.4% | $110 |
| 1992 | 140.3 | 3.0% | $119 |
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $125 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $133 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $138 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $146 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $152 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $160 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $170 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $182 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $184 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $194 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $200 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $203 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $212 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $219 |
| 2022 | 292.655 | 8.0% | $247 |
| 2023 | 304.702 | 4.1% | $258 |
Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.
MLA: “Inflation from 1988 to 2023: $100 is worth $258 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-2023/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1988 to 2023. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1988-to-2023/
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.