$500 in 1995 is worth $1,099.02 today

$500 in 1995 has the same buying power as

$1,099.02 in August 2026

That is 120% more, an average inflation rate of 2.56% a year over 31 years.

Put the other way, $500 today buys what $227.48 bought in 1995. Cash kept under the mattress since 1995 has lost 55% of its value.

$500 from nearby years

$500 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
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%
1999$1,005.342.2%
2000$972.653.4%

How $500 from 1995 grew

$0.00$200$400$600$800$1000$120019952000200520102015202020252026.625: $1099
$500 from 1995 in each later year's dollars

$500 of 1995 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $500 spent on each of these in 1995 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$1,180.65
Rent$1,422.68
Gasoline$1,802.29
Medical care$1,344.68
New cars$637.29
College tuition$1,864.69
Electricity$1,196.21
Clothing$518.00

Try a different amount or date

$500.00 in 1995 has the same buying power as

$1,099.02 in August 2026

Prices rose 119.8% in total, an average of 2.56% a year.

Questions

How much is $500 in 1995 worth today?
$500 in 1995 is worth $1,099.02 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $500 in 1995?
You would need $1,099.02 to buy what $500 bought in 1995. That is 2.20 times as much.
How much buying power has $500 lost since 1995?
Kept as cash, $500 from 1995 buys only what $227.48 of 1995 money bought. It has lost 55% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1995?
Prices rose 2.8% in 1995. Since then the average has been 2.56% a year.

Other amounts from 1995

$500 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1995