$5 in 1984 is worth $16.12 today

$5 in 1984 has the same buying power as

$16.12 in August 2026

That is 222% more, an average inflation rate of 2.82% a year over 42 years.

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $1.55 bought in 1984. Cash kept under the mattress since 1984 has lost 69% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1979$23.0711.3%
1980$20.3313.5%
1981$18.4310.3%
1982$17.366.2%
1983$16.823.2%
1984$16.124.3%
1985$15.573.6%
1986$15.281.9%
1987$14.743.6%
1988$14.164.1%
1989$13.514.8%

How $5 from 1984 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$2019902000201020202026.625: $16
$5 from 1984 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1984 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1984 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$16.98
Rent$21.32
Gasoline$18.39
Medical care$27.76
New cars$8.76
College tuition$44.93
Electricity$14.72
Clothing$6.70

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1984 has the same buying power as

$16.12 in August 2026

Prices rose 222.4% in total, an average of 2.82% a year.

Questions

How much is $5 in 1984 worth today?
$5 in 1984 is worth $16.12 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1984?
You would need $16.12 to buy what $5 bought in 1984. That is 3.22 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1984?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1984 buys only what $1.55 of 1984 money bought. It has lost 69% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1984?
Prices rose 4.3% in 1984. Since then the average has been 2.82% a year.

Other amounts from 1984

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1984