$10 in 1990 is worth $25.63 today

$10 in 1990 has the same buying power as

$25.63 in August 2026

That is 156% more, an average inflation rate of 2.64% a year over 36 years.

Put the other way, $10 today buys what $3.90 bought in 1990. Cash kept under the mattress since 1990 has lost 61% of its value.

$10 from nearby years

$10 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1995$21.982.8%

How $10 from 1990 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20$25$30199019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $26
$10 from 1990 in each later year's dollars

$10 of 1990 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $10 spent on each of these in 1990 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$26.47
Rent$32.44
Gasoline$35.62
Medical care$36.43
New cars$14.80
College tuition$56.43
Electricity$26.41
Clothing$11.02

Try a different amount or date

$10.00 in 1990 has the same buying power as

$25.63 in August 2026

Prices rose 156.3% in total, an average of 2.64% a year.

Questions

How much is $10 in 1990 worth today?
$10 in 1990 is worth $25.63 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $10 in 1990?
You would need $25.63 to buy what $10 bought in 1990. That is 2.56 times as much.
How much buying power has $10 lost since 1990?
Kept as cash, $10 from 1990 buys only what $3.90 of 1990 money bought. It has lost 61% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1990?
Prices rose 5.4% in 1990. Since then the average has been 2.64% a year.

Other amounts from 1990

$10 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1990