Calculate what an amount of money will be worth in the future, or was worth in the past, based on an average annual inflation rate.
How to use the inflation calculator
- Choose Future value to see what today's money will be worth later, or Past value to see what an amount was worth years ago.
- Enter the amount, the average annual inflation rate, and the number of years.
- Click Calculate to see the adjusted value instantly.
Why inflation matters for financial planning
Inflation quietly erodes purchasing power every year, an amount that feels comfortable today may not stretch nearly as far a decade from now. This calculator uses simple compound growth, the same math behind compound interest, applied to prices instead of savings, so you can see the effect of a steady average rate over any time horizon.
Example
At a 5% average annual inflation rate, 10,000 today would need to grow to roughly 16,289 in 10 years just to buy the same goods and services, future value moving forward.
Frequently asked questions
- How does this calculator estimate inflation's effect without real CPI data?
- It compounds a constant average rate you enter over the chosen years, a smoothed estimate rather than an exact historical figure.
- What inflation rate should I use for a rough estimate?
- Many planning estimates use 3-6%, but use your country's actual long-term average when precision matters.
- What's the difference between future value and past value here?
- Future value compounds forward, past value discounts backward, using the same rate.
- Does this tool store or send my numbers anywhere?
- No, all calculations happen locally in your browser.
Bookmark this page and use it whenever you're setting a savings goal or comparing an old salary to today's cost of living.
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