$500 in 1993 is worth $1,159.10 today

$500 in 1993 has the same buying power as

$1,159.10 in August 2026

That is 132% more, an average inflation rate of 2.57% a year over 33 years.

Put the other way, $500 today buys what $215.68 bought in 1993. Cash kept under the mattress since 1993 has lost 57% of its value.

$500 from nearby years

$500 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1988$1,415.814.1%
1989$1,350.734.8%
1990$1,281.485.4%
1991$1,229.744.2%
1992$1,193.803.0%
1993$1,159.103.0%
1994$1,130.162.6%
1995$1,099.022.8%
1996$1,067.503.0%
1997$1,043.552.3%
1998$1,027.551.6%

How $500 from 1993 grew

$0.00$200$400$600$800$1000$120019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $1159
$500 from 1993 in each later year's dollars

$500 of 1993 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $500 spent on each of these in 1993 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$1,243.50
Rent$1,493.67
Gasoline$1,841.03
Medical care$1,472.20
New cars$677.15
College tuition$2,114.64
Electricity$1,223.59
Clothing$511.41

Try a different amount or date

$500.00 in 1993 has the same buying power as

$1,159.10 in August 2026

Prices rose 131.8% in total, an average of 2.57% a year.

Questions

How much is $500 in 1993 worth today?
$500 in 1993 is worth $1,159.10 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $500 in 1993?
You would need $1,159.10 to buy what $500 bought in 1993. That is 2.32 times as much.
How much buying power has $500 lost since 1993?
Kept as cash, $500 from 1993 buys only what $215.68 of 1993 money bought. It has lost 57% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1993?
Prices rose 3.0% in 1993. Since then the average has been 2.57% a year.

Other amounts from 1993

$500 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1993