Inflation Calculator
See how rising prices could change the cost of a purchase and the buying power of your money.
Inputs used
What will my money be worth in the future?
Scenario links include your inputs in the URL fragment. Anyone with the link can read them. Use hypothetical amounts when sharing.Adjust the inputs to compare possibilities.
What this means
Dollars and purchasing power are differentThe future cost estimates what the same purchase could cost later. A fixed dollar balance can buy less when prices rise. Try changing the inflation assumption.
Free educational illustration only. Results depend on your assumptions and may not fit your circumstances. This tool does not provide individualized advice; do not use it as your sole basis for a financial decision. Read the financial disclosures.
Projected inflation only; no historical CPI feed is connected. Your chosen rate is an assumption, not a forecast.
How this calculator works
Future cost = today’s cost × (1 + annual inflation) raised to years. Purchasing power of a fixed sum = that sum divided by the same factor.
Model assumptions: Projected inflation only; no historical CPI feed is connected. Your chosen rate is an assumption, not a forecast.
Model reviewed: October 10, 2026. Outputs are rounded for display; calculations use unrounded values. Defaults and return comparisons are illustrative, not recommended assumptions.
Worked example
A purchase costing $10,000 today would cost $18,061.11 in 20 years at an assumed 3% annual inflation rate. This is a projection, not historical CPI data.
Hypothetical example, calculated with this tool’s model; not a forecast or recommended assumption.
Load this example in the calculator ↗Common questions
Does this calculator use historical CPI?
No. It projects a constant inflation rate you choose. It does not fetch historical consumer price data or forecast future inflation.
What is the difference between future cost and purchasing power?
Future cost estimates what the same purchase would cost later. Purchasing power estimates how much a fixed dollar balance would buy in today’s dollars after the same assumed inflation.