1990 dollars in today's money
| In 1990 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.58 |
| $5.00 | $12.89 |
| $10.00 | $25.79 |
| $20.00 | $51.58 |
| $50.00 | $128.94 |
| $100.00 | $257.88 |
| $1,000 | $2,579 |
| $10,000 | $25,788 |
Inflation in 1990
Prices rose 5.4% in 1990 compared with 1989. That is above the long-run average of 3.2% a year since 1913.
In the 1990s, the highest yearly rate was 5.4% in 1990 and the lowest was 1.6% in 1998.
The average Consumer Price Index in 1990 was 130.658 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 2.58× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1990
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $38.78 bought in 1990.
1990 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | $3.13 | 3.5% |
| 1986 | $3.07 | 1.9% |
| 1987 | $2.97 | 3.7% |
| 1988 | $2.85 | 4.1% |
| 1989 | $2.72 | 4.8% |
| 1991 | $2.47 | 4.2% |
| 1992 | $2.40 | 3.0% |
| 1993 | $2.33 | 3.0% |
| 1994 | $2.27 | 2.6% |
| 1995 | $2.21 | 2.8% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1990). 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.