1989 dollars in today's money
| In 1989 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.72 |
| $5.00 | $13.59 |
| $10.00 | $27.18 |
| $20.00 | $54.36 |
| $50.00 | $135.90 |
| $100.00 | $271.80 |
| $1,000 | $2,718 |
| $10,000 | $27,180 |
Inflation in 1989
Prices rose 4.8% in 1989 compared with 1988. That is above the long-run average of 3.2% a year since 1913.
In the 1980s, the highest yearly rate was 13.5% in 1980 and the lowest was 1.9% in 1986.
The average Consumer Price Index in 1989 was 123.967 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 2.72× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1989
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $36.79 bought in 1989.
1989 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | $3.24 | 4.3% |
| 1985 | $3.13 | 3.5% |
| 1986 | $3.07 | 1.9% |
| 1987 | $2.97 | 3.7% |
| 1988 | $2.85 | 4.1% |
| 1990 | $2.58 | 5.4% |
| 1991 | $2.47 | 4.2% |
| 1992 | $2.40 | 3.0% |
| 1993 | $2.33 | 3.0% |
| 1994 | $2.27 | 2.6% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1989). The data is the CPI-U, all items, not seasonally adjusted, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Use the calculator above to convert between any two years.