Historical Inflation Calculator
What was money worth in the past? Enter an amount, pick two years, and see how inflation changed its value. US data from 1913, UK data from 1948.
$100 in 1970 is worth approximately
in 2024
Based on US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data.
A pound in 1970 bought roughly what 17 pounds buys today. Most people know inflation exists; very few have a feel for how much it compounds over decades.
This calculator uses official government price index data to convert historical amounts into equivalent modern values. It does not tell you what something cost — it tells you how much purchasing power has changed. A house that cost £5,000 in 1960 is not equivalent to £85,000 today just because of inflation — supply, demand, and structural market shifts all played a role. Inflation adjustment is one lens, not the whole picture.
Data sources
US figures use the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, using annual averages on the 1982-84 base. UK figures use the Retail Price Index (RPI) published by the Office for National Statistics. Both are the most widely used long-run inflation measures for their respective countries.
Questions
Why RPI for the UK rather than CPI?
The UK CPI only goes back to 1988. The RPI has a longer history, starting in 1947, which makes it more useful for historical comparisons. For recent years the two measures give similar results, though RPI tends to run slightly higher.
Is this exact?
No. Inflation indices measure average price changes across a basket of goods that changes over time. Products that did not exist in 1950 cannot be compared to 1950 prices. The result is an estimate of how purchasing power has changed in general, not a precise conversion for any specific item.
Inflation calculated. Research continues.