Inflation Calculator: The Complete Guide
See what inflation does to your money. Enter an amount, an annual inflation rate, and a number of years to see the future cost of today's purchases and how much buying power that amount loses.
Who the Inflation Calculator is for
Savers and planners gauging how inflation erodes purchasing power and what future prices might look like.
How to use the Inflation Calculator
- Type your values into the fields above — pick your currency or units where the calculator offers them.
- Results update automatically as you type; there's no submit button and nothing is sent to a server.
- Adjust any input to compare scenarios, then copy the result with a single click.
How it works
Future cost = amount × (1 + rate ÷ 100)^years. Future buying power of today's amount = amount ÷ (1 + rate ÷ 100)^years. Total inflation is the percentage increase over the whole period.
Features
- Future cost of money
- Future buying power
- Total inflation %
- Any currency
Why inflation matters
Inflation is the gradual rise in prices that reduces what each unit of money can buy. Even modest inflation compounds: at 3.5% a year, prices roughly double in about 20 years. Accounting for inflation is essential when planning long-term savings, retirement, or any goal years away.