U.S. inflation · 1998–2008
$100 in 1998 has the same buying power as
$132
in 2008
| Cumulative price change | 32.1% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.82% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $132 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $32.09 |
| CPI in 1998 | 163 |
| CPI in 2008 | 215.303 |
| Inflation in 1998 | 1.56% |
| Inflation in 2008 | 3.84% |
| $100 in 1998 → 2008 | $132 |
| $100 in 2008 → 1998 | $75.71 |
Between 1998 and 2008, the Consumer Price Index went from 163 to 215.303. Cumulatively, prices increased 32.1%, which works out to an average of 2.82% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1998 bought what $0.76 buys in 2008.
| Amount in 1998 | Value in 2008 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.32 |
| $5.00 | $6.60 |
| $10.00 | $13.21 |
| $20.00 | $26.42 |
| $50.00 | $66.04 |
| $100 | $132 |
| $500 | $660 |
| $1,000 | $1,321 |
| $5,000 | $6,604 |
| $10,000 | $13,209 |
| $100,000 | $132,088 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,320,877 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1998 spending costs in 2008, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1998 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.82% | $132 |
| Energy | 8.69% | $230 |
| Medical care | 4.16% | $150 |
| Transportation | 3.28% | $138 |
| Housing | 3.03% | $135 |
| Food | 2.91% | $133 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.20% | $124 |
| Education & communication | 2.11% | $123 |
| Recreation | 1.14% | $112 |
| Apparel | -1.11% | $89.40 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 163 | 1.6% | $100 |
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $102 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $106 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $109 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $110 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $113 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $116 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $120 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $124 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $127 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $132 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1998 to 2008: $100 is worth $132 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1998-to-2008/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1998 to 2008. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1998-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.