InflationCalculator.com

U.S. inflation · 1990–2025

Value of $100 in 1990, adjusted to 2025

$100 in 1990 has the same buying power as

$246

in 2025

$100$173$24619901999200820162025$100 · 1990$246 · 2025
Detailed inflation statistics
Cumulative price change146.3%
Average inflation rate2.61% per year
Converted amount ($100 base)$246
Price difference ($100 base)$146
CPI in 1990130.7
CPI in 2025321.943
Inflation in 19905.40%
Inflation in 20252.63%
$100 in 1990 → 2025$246
$100 in 2025 → 1990$40.60

What happened to prices between 1990 and 2025

Between 1990 and 2025, the Consumer Price Index went from 130.7 to 321.943. Cumulatively, prices increased 146.3%, which works out to an average of 2.61% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1990 bought what $0.41 buys in 2025.

In 1990, the median U.S. household earned about $29,900, gas averaged $1.15 a gallon, and mailing a letter cost a quarter. Inflation ran hot at 5.4% for the year, its highest rate since 1982, pushed up by an oil shock after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, and the economy tipped into recession that summer. It was the last gasp of elevated inflation before the long calm of the 1990s.

More about inflation in 1990 →

Common amounts: 1990 dollars in 2025

Amount in 1990Value in 2025
$1.00$2.46
$5.00$12.32
$10.00$24.63
$20.00$49.26
$50.00$123
$100$246
$500$1,232
$1,000$2,463
$5,000$12,316
$10,000$24,632
$100,000$246,322
$1,000,000$2,463,221

Inflation by spending category, 1990–2025

The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1990 spending costs in 2025, by category:

Category Avg. yearly inflation $100 in 1990 →
All items (CPI-U) 2.61% $246
Medical care 3.70% $356
Energy 2.92% $274
Housing 2.88% $270
Food 2.73% $256
Core (all items less food & energy) 2.56% $242
Transportation 2.35% $226
Apparel 0.16% $106

Not shown because the BLS began these indexes after 1990: recreation (1993–), education & communication (1993–).

Year by year: CPI and the value of $100 from 1990

Year CPI Inflation rate $100 from 1990
1990 130.7 5.4% $100
1992 140.3 3.0% $107
1994 148.2 2.6% $113
1996 156.9 3.0% $120
1998 163 1.6% $125
2000 172.2 3.4% $132
2002 179.9 1.6% $138
2004 188.9 2.7% $145
2006 201.6 3.2% $154
2008 215.303 3.8% $165
2010 218.056 1.6% $167
2012 229.594 2.1% $176
2014 236.736 1.6% $181
2016 240.007 1.3% $184
2018 251.107 2.4% $192
2020 258.811 1.2% $198
2022 292.655 8.0% $224
2024 313.689 2.9% $240
2025 321.943 2.6% $246

Long periods are sampled every 2 years; the calculator above covers any pair of years.

Cite this page

MLA: “Inflation from 1990 to 2025: $100 is worth $246 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1990-to-2025/

APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1990 to 2025. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1990-to-2025/

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.