$1,000 in 1990 is worth $2,562.97 today

$1,000 in 1990 has the same buying power as

$2,562.97 in August 2026

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

Put the other way, $1,000 today buys what $390.17 bought in 1990. Cash kept under the mattress since 1990 has lost 61% of its value.

$1,000 from nearby years

$1,000 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1985$3,113.203.6%
1986$3,056.391.9%
1987$2,948.773.6%
1988$2,831.614.1%
1989$2,701.454.8%
1990$2,562.975.4%
1991$2,459.474.2%
1992$2,387.603.0%
1993$2,318.203.0%
1994$2,260.322.6%
1995$2,198.032.8%

How $1,000 from 1990 grew

$0.00$500$1000$1500$2000$2500$3000199019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $2563
$1,000 from 1990 in each later year's dollars

$1,000 of 1990 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1,000 spent on each of these in 1990 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$2,646.66
Rent$3,244.20
Gasoline$3,561.76
Medical care$3,642.52
New cars$1,480.35
College tuition$5,643.07
Electricity$2,641.03
Clothing$1,101.95

Try a different amount or date

$1,000.00 in 1990 has the same buying power as

$2,562.97 in August 2026

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

Questions

How much is $1,000 in 1990 worth today?
$1,000 in 1990 is worth $2,562.97 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1,000 in 1990?
You would need $2,562.97 to buy what $1,000 bought in 1990. That is 2.56 times as much.
How much buying power has $1,000 lost since 1990?
Kept as cash, $1,000 from 1990 buys only what $390.17 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

$1,000 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1990