Quick calculator · ≈ 1 min · Saving & growth
Inflation Calculator
See what today's expenses could cost in the future — and what future dollars are worth today.
U.S. long-run average is near 3%.
Showing example defaults — change any input to use your own
Purchasing power
Estimated cost in 20 years
$9,031
At 3% inflation, what costs $5,000 today runs about $9,031 in 20 years — a 81% increase.
- Total change
- +81%
- Doubling time at 3%
- ≈ 24 years
View data table
| Cost | |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | $5K |
| 1 yr | $5.2K |
| 2 yr | $5.3K |
| 3 yr | $5.5K |
| 4 yr | $5.6K |
| 5 yr | $5.8K |
| 6 yr | $6K |
| 7 yr | $6.1K |
| 8 yr | $6.3K |
| 9 yr | $6.5K |
| 10 yr | $6.7K |
| 11 yr | $6.9K |
| 12 yr | $7.1K |
| 13 yr | $7.3K |
| 14 yr | $7.6K |
| 15 yr | $7.8K |
| 16 yr | $8K |
| 17 yr | $8.3K |
| 18 yr | $8.5K |
| 19 yr | $8.8K |
| 20 yr | $9K |
What this may mean for you
For retirement planning, the takeaway is structural: a 30-year retirement at 3% inflation needs late-stage income roughly 2.4× the starting amount for the same lifestyle. Fixed payments — most private pensions, bond ladders — quietly shrink.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and may not reflect your complete financial or tax situation.
Understanding this calculator
Inflation is compounding working against you. At 3%, prices double roughly every 24 years — which means a 62-year-old planning a 30-year retirement should expect late-retirement prices to be well over double today's. That's the single biggest reason "I'll just live on the interest" plans quietly fail.
U.S. inflation has averaged near 3% over the last century, but individual decades ranged from below 2% to above 7% — and retiree costs like healthcare have tended to run hotter than the headline number. Testing your plan at more than one rate is the practical defense.
Assumptions and methodology
- Future cost = amount × (1 + rate)^years; purchasing power = amount ÷ (1 + rate)^years.
- The rate is yours to choose; the calculator applies it uniformly with no year-to-year variation.
Official sources
Last reviewed August 30, 2026. Year-specific figures show their tax or data year in the tool; data is reviewed when the IRS, SSA, and CMS publish annual updates.
Common questions
What inflation rate should I plan with?
Many planners test 2.5–3% for general spending and something higher for healthcare. The right answer is a range, not a point.
Next step
See how this fits your whole retirement
One number is a start. The plan builder puts income, spending, savings, and taxes together year by year — free, no account, and every answer can be changed later.
Keep going
- Compound GrowthWatch how a starting amount and steady monthly contributions grow over time.Calculator
- Savings ProjectionProject how your current savings and monthly contributions could grow between now and retirement.Calculator
- Long-Term Care CostsProject what a period of long-term care could cost by the time you might need it.Calculator
- What the 4% Rule Actually Says — and What It Never Promised6 min readArticle
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