U.S. inflation · 1999–2021
$100 in 1999 has the same buying power as
$163
in 2021
| Cumulative price change | 62.6% |
|---|---|
| Average inflation rate | 2.24% per year |
| Converted amount ($100 base) | $163 |
| Price difference ($100 base) | $62.65 |
| CPI in 1999 | 166.6 |
| CPI in 2021 | 270.97 |
| Inflation in 1999 | 2.21% |
| Inflation in 2021 | 4.70% |
| $100 in 1999 → 2021 | $163 |
| $100 in 2021 → 1999 | $61.48 |
Between 1999 and 2021, the Consumer Price Index went from 166.6 to 270.97. Cumulatively, prices increased 62.6%, which works out to an average of 2.24% per year. Put differently, a dollar in 1999 bought what $0.61 buys in 2021.
| Amount in 1999 | Value in 2021 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $1.63 |
| $5.00 | $8.13 |
| $10.00 | $16.26 |
| $20.00 | $32.53 |
| $50.00 | $81.32 |
| $100 | $163 |
| $500 | $813 |
| $1,000 | $1,626 |
| $5,000 | $8,132 |
| $10,000 | $16,265 |
| $100,000 | $162,647 |
| $1,000,000 | $1,626,471 |
The headline number is an average. Individual categories moved very differently over this period. Here is what $100 of 1999 spending costs in 2021, by category:
| Category | Avg. yearly inflation | $100 in 1999 → |
|---|---|---|
| All items (CPI-U) | 2.24% | $163 |
| Energy | 3.72% | $224 |
| Medical care | 3.42% | $210 |
| Housing | 2.48% | $171 |
| Food | 2.42% | $169 |
| Transportation | 2.15% | $160 |
| Core (all items less food & energy) | 2.06% | $157 |
| Education & communication | 1.57% | $141 |
| Recreation | 0.94% | $123 |
| Apparel | -0.37% | $92.15 |
| Year | CPI | Inflation rate | $100 from 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 166.6 | 2.2% | $100 |
| 2000 | 172.2 | 3.4% | $103 |
| 2001 | 177.1 | 2.8% | $106 |
| 2002 | 179.9 | 1.6% | $108 |
| 2003 | 184 | 2.3% | $110 |
| 2004 | 188.9 | 2.7% | $113 |
| 2005 | 195.3 | 3.4% | $117 |
| 2006 | 201.6 | 3.2% | $121 |
| 2007 | 207.342 | 2.8% | $124 |
| 2008 | 215.303 | 3.8% | $129 |
| 2009 | 214.537 | -0.4% | $129 |
| 2010 | 218.056 | 1.6% | $131 |
| 2011 | 224.939 | 3.2% | $135 |
| 2012 | 229.594 | 2.1% | $138 |
| 2013 | 232.957 | 1.5% | $140 |
| 2014 | 236.736 | 1.6% | $142 |
| 2015 | 237.017 | 0.1% | $142 |
| 2016 | 240.007 | 1.3% | $144 |
| 2017 | 245.12 | 2.1% | $147 |
| 2018 | 251.107 | 2.4% | $151 |
| 2019 | 255.657 | 1.8% | $153 |
| 2020 | 258.811 | 1.2% | $155 |
| 2021 | 270.97 | 4.7% | $163 |
MLA: “Inflation from 1999 to 2021: $100 is worth $163 today.” InflationCalculator.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data, https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1999-to-2021/
APA: InflationCalculator.com. Inflation from 1999 to 2021. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U data. Retrieved from https://inflationcalculator.com/inflation/1999-to-2021/
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.