Your inputs

Project the cost

Amount today

Today’s cost or amount, from $0 through $1 trillion.

Annual inflation rate

Average yearly inflation, from −50% through 100%.

Number of years

Time horizon, from 0 through 200 years.

Your inputs are calculated locally and are not stored.

What it will cost in 20 years$90,305.56

Something costing $50,000.00 today is projected to cost $90,305.56 in 20 years.

Today’s value of that future amount: $27,683.79
Total inflation over the period: 80.6111%

Formula & methodology

How inflation is projected

Inflation compounds: each year prices rise by the inflation rate on top of the previous year’s already-higher prices. Future cost grows an amount forward at that compounding rate, while purchasing power runs the same math in reverse to show what a fixed future sum is worth in today’s dollars. Total inflation is the overall percentage increase in prices across the whole period.

Future cost = Amount × (1 + Inflation)^Years
Purchasing power = Amount ÷ (1 + Inflation)^Years

Amount: Today’s cost or amount
Inflation: Annual inflation rate
Years: Length of the period

Worked example

$50,000 at 3% inflation over 20 years

Suppose something costs $50,000 today and inflation averages 3% a year for 20 years. Multiplying $50,000 by 1.03 raised to the 20th power gives a future cost of $90,305.56. Running the same rate in reverse, $50,000 received 20 years from now would be worth only $27,683.79 in today’s dollars. Total inflation over the period is 80.6111%.

This is an educational calculation based only on the values you provide. It does not use live inflation data, and it is not financial advice.

Assumptions

What this calculator assumes

Inflation is constant every year and compounds annually; real inflation varies year to year.
The rate you enter applies uniformly — no category-specific inflation, such as housing versus food, is modeled.
A negative rate models deflation, where prices fall over time.
Money values are rounded to the nearest cent for display.

Common questions

Inflation FAQ

Can I enter the period in months, days, or exact dates?

Yes. Use the unit switch on the Number of years field to type the period in years, months, or days — or pick start and end dates from the calendar. Every option is converted to an exact year count (365.25 days per year) before the math runs, so all four give the same answer.

What’s the difference between future cost and purchasing power?

Future cost shows how many more dollars you will need to buy the same thing later. Purchasing power runs the math in reverse: it shows what a fixed future amount of money is actually worth in today’s dollars once inflation has eroded it.

What inflation rate should I use?

Many people use a long-run average of about 2% to 3%, in line with central-bank targets, but the right figure depends on your country and time frame. Check official consumer price index data from the sources below for historical rates.

Primary sources

Sources and review notes

Methodology last checked Jul 14, 2026. Formula implementation is covered by deterministic unit tests. No financial professional review is claimed yet.