$10 in 1973 is worth $75.45 today

$10 in 1973 has the same buying power as

$75.45 in August 2026

That is 654% more, an average inflation rate of 3.88% a year over 53 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $1.33 bought in 1973. Cash kept under the mattress since 1973 has lost 87% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1968$96.264.2%
1969$91.285.5%
1970$86.345.7%
1971$82.714.4%
1972$80.143.2%
1973$75.456.2%
1974$67.9511.0%
1975$62.269.1%
1976$58.875.8%
1977$55.286.5%
1978$51.387.6%

How $10 from 1973 grew

$0.00$20$40$60$80198019902000201020202026.625: $75
$10 from 1973 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1973 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1973 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$72.70
Rent$85.52
Gasoline$115.30
Medical care$152.84
New cars$32.79
Electricity$82.90
Clothing$21.17

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1973 has the same buying power as

$75.45 in August 2026

Prices rose 654.5% in total, an average of 3.88% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1973 worth today?
$10 in 1973 is worth $75.45 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1973?
You would need $75.45 to buy what $10 bought in 1973. That is 7.54 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1973?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1973 buys only what $1.33 of 1973 money bought. It has lost 87% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1973?
Prices rose 6.2% in 1973. Since then the average has been 3.88% a year.

Other amounts from 1973

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1973