U.S. inflation · 1994–2008
$100 in 1994 has the same buying power as
$145
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 45.3% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.70% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $145 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $45.28 |
| CPI in 1994 | 148.2 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1994 | 2.56% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1994 → 2008 | $145 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1994 | $68.83 |
Between 1994 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 148.2 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 45.3%, which works out to an average of 2.70% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1994 bought what $0.69 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1994 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.45 |
| $5.00 | $7.26 |
| $10.00 | $14.53 |
| $20.00 | $29.06 |
| $50.00 | $72.64 |
| $100 | $145 |
| $500 | $726 |
| $1,000 | $1,453 |
| $5,000 | $7,264 |
| $10,000 | $14,528 |
| $100,000 | $145,279 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,452,787 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1994 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1994 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.70% | $145 |
| Energy | 6.01% | $226 |
| Medical care | 3.97% | $173 |
| Housing | 2.91% | $149 |
| Food | 2.86% | $148 |
| Transportation | 2.72% | $146 |
| Education & communication | 2.39% | $139 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.31% | $138 |
| Recreation | 1.44% | $122 |
| Apparel | -0.82% | $89.14 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1994 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 148.2 | 2.6% | $100 |
| 1995 | 152.4 | 2.8% | $103 |
| 1996 | 156.9 | 3.0% | $106 |
| 1997 | 160.5 | 2.3% | $108 |
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $110 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $112 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $116 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $120 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $121 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $124 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $127 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $132 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $136 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $140 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $145 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1994 to 2008: $100 is worth $145 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1994-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1994 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1994-to-2008/
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.