Watches priced at $20 in 1986 $31.37 in 2024

Watches Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Watches, 1986-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for watches are 56.84% higher in 2024 versus 1986 (a $11.37 difference in value).

Between 1986 and 2024: Watches experienced an average inflation rate of 1.19% per year. In other words, watches costing $20 in the year 1986 would cost $31.37 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.77% during this same period, inflation for watches was lower.

Price Inflation for Watches since 1986

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2016 (5.16%), 1994 (4.82%), and 2017 (4.75%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1986

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Watches, over time, for $20 beginning in 1986. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1986$20.00-
1987$20.482.39%
1988$21.213.58%
1989$21.762.59%
1990$22.031.22%
1991$22.984.32%
1992$23.221.03%
1993$23.762.32%
1994$24.904.82%
1995$25.813.65%
1996$25.950.55%
1997$25.33-2.39%
1998$24.71-2.47%
1999$24.45-1.02%
2000$24.43-0.09%
2001$24.03-1.66%
2002$23.14-3.70%
2003$22.51-2.70%
2004$23.002.17%
2005$23.040.19%
2006$23.351.35%
2007$23.35-0.02%
2008$23.34-0.03%
2009$23.32-0.07%
2010$23.00-1.39%
2011$23.331.46%
2012$23.661.41%
2013$24.312.75%
2014$24.440.52%
2015$24.640.81%
2016$25.915.16%
2017$27.144.75%
2018$27.651.90%
2019$27.760.38%
2020$28.683.33%
2021$29.934.35%
2022$30.481.85%
2023$30.700.72%
2024$31.372.17%*

* 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 Watches:

Year198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI100.000102.392106.062108.808110.138114.900116.085118.777124.508129.054129.762126.662123.531122.269122.154120.131115.685112.562115.000115.215116.769116.744116.707116.622114.997116.671118.312121.569122.202123.188129.550135.698138.271138.794143.414149.648152.410153.505156.840

Adjust watches prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1986 * 1986 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Watches was 100.000 in the year 1986 and 156.840 in 2024:

156.840 / 100.000 * $20 = $31.37

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1986 has the same "purchasing power" as $31.37 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Watches).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Watches in 1986. In addition to watches, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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