$1 in 1994 is worth $2.26 today

$1 in 1994 has the same buying power as

$2.26 in August 2026

That is 126% more, an average inflation rate of 2.57% a year over 32 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.44 bought in 1994. Cash kept under the mattress since 1994 has lost 56% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1989$2.704.8%
1990$2.565.4%
1991$2.464.2%
1992$2.393.0%
1993$2.323.0%
1994$2.262.6%
1995$2.202.8%
1996$2.133.0%
1997$2.092.3%
1998$2.061.6%
1999$2.012.2%

How $1 from 1994 grew

$0.00$0.50$1.00$1.50$2.00$2.5019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $2.26
$1 from 1994 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1994 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1994 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$2.43
Rent$2.92
Gasoline$3.66
Medical care$2.81
New cars$1.31
College tuition$3.95
Electricity$2.45
Clothing$1.03

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1994 has the same buying power as

$2.26 in August 2026

Prices rose 126.0% in total, an average of 2.57% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1994 worth today?
$1 in 1994 is worth $2.26 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1994?
You would need $2.26 to buy what $1 bought in 1994. That is 2.26 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1994?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1994 buys only what $0.44 of 1994 money bought. It has lost 56% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1994?
Prices rose 2.6% in 1994. Since then the average has been 2.57% a year.

Other amounts from 1994

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1994