Food priced at $900 in 2015 $923.02 in 2018

Food Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Food, 2015-2018 ($900)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for food were 2.56% higher in 2018 versus 2015 (a $23.02 difference in value).

Between 2015 and 2018: Food experienced an average inflation rate of 0.85% per year. In other words, food costing $900 in the year 2015 would cost $923.02 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 1.94% during this same period, inflation for food was lower.

In the year 2015: Pricing changed by 1.86%, which is above the average yearly change for food during the 2015-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2015 (0.12%), inflation for food was higher.

Price Inflation for Food since 1913

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1917 (28.65%), 1921 (-24.20%), and 1947 (21.43%).

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Medical care · Alcoholic beverages · Film and photographic supplies · Admission to sporting events · More

Buying power of $900.00 since 2015

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Food, over time, for $900 beginning in 2015. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2015$900.001.86%
2016$902.540.28%
2017$910.300.86%
2018$923.021.40%
2019$940.341.88%
2020$972.753.45%
2021$1,011.103.94%
2022$1,111.699.95%
2023$1,175.685.76%
2024$1,192.291.41%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Food:

Year1913191419151916191719181919192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931193219331934193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI9.92310.15410.05411.27714.50816.70018.57720.97715.90014.89215.38515.23116.50017.04616.43116.24616.45415.64612.90010.72310.41511.60812.45412.56913.08512.13811.82311.98513.07715.38517.10016.87717.26219.81524.06226.08525.06225.39228.22328.72328.26928.23827.81528.02328.92330.16929.66230.01530.36230.63131.06931.47732.17733.80834.06235.29237.10839.20040.35442.09248.17755.11559.79261.63165.51572.05479.91586.77793.56297.35499.408103.231105.569108.946113.485118.177125.077132.369136.254137.892140.862144.277148.415153.285157.277160.685164.100167.815173.085176.215179.977186.177190.723195.177202.916214.106217.955219.625227.842233.777237.037242.725247.235247.931250.065253.558258.316267.219277.756305.388322.965327.529

Adjust food prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2018 / CPI in 2015 * 2015 USD value = 2018 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Food was 247.235 in the year 2015 and 253.558 in 2018:

253.558 / 247.235 * $900 = $923.02

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $900 in 2015 has the same "purchasing power" as $923.02 in 2018 (in the CPI category of Food).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Food in 1913. In addition to food, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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