$10 in 1985 is worth $31.13 today

$10 in 1985 has the same buying power as

$31.13 in August 2026

That is 211% more, an average inflation rate of 2.80% a year over 41 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $3.21 bought in 1985. Cash kept under the mattress since 1985 has lost 68% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1980$40.6513.5%
1981$36.8510.3%
1982$34.716.2%
1983$33.633.2%
1984$32.244.3%
1985$31.133.6%
1986$30.561.9%
1987$29.493.6%
1988$28.324.1%
1989$27.014.8%
1990$25.635.4%

How $10 from 1985 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20$25$30$351985199019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $31
$10 from 1985 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1985 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1985 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$33.18
Rent$40.16
Gasoline$36.48
Medical care$52.25
New cars$16.94
College tuition$82.36
Electricity$28.47
Clothing$13.02

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1985 has the same buying power as

$31.13 in August 2026

Prices rose 211.3% in total, an average of 2.80% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1985 worth today?
$10 in 1985 is worth $31.13 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1985?
You would need $31.13 to buy what $10 bought in 1985. That is 3.11 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1985?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1985 buys only what $3.21 of 1985 money bought. It has lost 68% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1985?
Prices rose 3.6% in 1985. Since then the average has been 2.80% a year.

Other amounts from 1985

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1985