$10 in 1989 is worth $27.01 today

$10 in 1989 has the same buying power as

$27.01 in August 2026

That is 170% more, an average inflation rate of 2.71% a year over 37 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $3.70 bought in 1989. Cash kept under the mattress since 1989 has lost 63% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1991$24.594.2%
1992$23.883.0%
1993$23.183.0%
1994$22.602.6%

How $10 from 1989 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20$25$30199019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $27
$10 from 1989 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1989 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1989 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$28.01
Rent$33.81
Gasoline$40.65
Medical care$39.72
New cars$15.08
College tuition$61.00
Electricity$27.03
Clothing$11.53

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1989 has the same buying power as

$27.01 in August 2026

Prices rose 170.1% in total, an average of 2.71% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1989 worth today?
$10 in 1989 is worth $27.01 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1989?
You would need $27.01 to buy what $10 bought in 1989. That is 2.70 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1989?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1989 buys only what $3.70 of 1989 money bought. It has lost 63% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1989?
Prices rose 4.8% in 1989. Since then the average has been 2.71% a year.

Other amounts from 1989

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1989