1998 dollars in today's money
| In 1998 | In September 2026 |
|---|---|
| $1.00 | $2.07 |
| $5.00 | $10.34 |
| $10.00 | $20.67 |
| $20.00 | $41.34 |
| $50.00 | $103.35 |
| $100.00 | $206.70 |
| $1,000 | $2,067 |
| $10,000 | $20,670 |
Inflation in 1998
Prices rose 1.6% in 1998 compared with 1997. That is below 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 1998 was 163.008 (1982–84 = 100). Today's index is 336.940, which is where the multiplier of 2.07× comes from.
Buying power: today's money in 1998
Going the other way, $100 today would have bought what $48.38 bought in 1998.
1998 compared with nearby years
| Year | $1 is worth today | Inflation that year |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | $2.33 | 3.0% |
| 1994 | $2.27 | 2.6% |
| 1995 | $2.21 | 2.8% |
| 1996 | $2.15 | 2.9% |
| 1997 | $2.10 | 2.3% |
| 1999 | $2.02 | 2.2% |
| 2000 | $1.96 | 3.4% |
| 2001 | $1.90 | 2.8% |
| 2002 | $1.87 | 1.6% |
| 2003 | $1.83 | 2.3% |
How this is calculated
Value today = amount × (CPI in September 2026 ÷ average CPI in 1998). 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.