Finance & Investment
Inflation Calculator – Future Cost & Purchasing Power Over Time
Estimate how inflation affects prices over years. See future cost for the same buying power and how cash loses purchasing power when uninvested.
How inflation affects money over time
Inflation measures how prices rise over time. At 3% annual inflation, something that costs $100 today would cost about $134 in 10 years if prices follow that trend. This calculator shows future cost for the same buying power, and how much you would need in the future to match a dollar amount today.
Formula: Future value ≈ PV × (1 + r)n, where PV = amount today, r = inflation rate per year (as a decimal), n = years.
Typical inflation benchmarks
Long-run CPI inflation in many developed economies has often been in the 2–3% range. Use your own forecast for planning — actual future inflation will vary.
- Retirement planning: See what today’s expenses might cost decades ahead.
- Salary negotiation: Compare raises to inflation to check real (after-inflation) growth.
- Savings goals: Combine with investment return calculators for a fuller picture.