Alcohol at home inflation, 1977–2026

Prices are 221.78% higher than in 1977, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Alcohol At Home Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Alcohol At Home, 1977-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for alcoholic beverages at home are 221.78% higher in 2026 versus 1977 (a $44.36 difference in value).

Between 1977 and 2026, Alcohol at home experienced an average inflation rate of 2.41% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, alcohol at home costing $20 in the year 1977 would cost $64.36 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.53% during this same period, inflation for alcohol at home was lower.

Price Inflation for Alcoholic beverages at home since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1991 (12.04%), 1980 (8.33%), and 1979 (7.70%).

The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.

View price changes for other categories
Bread · Indoor plants and flowers · Jewelry · Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1977

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Alcohol at home, over time, for $20 beginning in 1977. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1977$20.00-
1978$20.814.03%
1979$22.417.70%
1980$24.278.33%
1981$25.896.67%
1982$26.994.23%
1983$27.963.59%
1984$28.491.92%
1985$29.262.70%
1986$30.403.88%
1987$31.022.03%
1988$31.762.40%
1989$32.793.25%
1990$34.204.31%
1991$38.3212.04%
1992$39.402.81%
1993$39.560.42%
1994$39.620.16%
1995$39.810.46%
1996$40.822.55%
1997$41.571.84%
1998$41.900.78%
1999$42.762.05%
2000$43.972.83%
2001$44.811.92%
2002$45.631.82%
2003$46.321.52%
2004$47.362.23%
2005$47.921.20%
2006$48.641.50%
2007$49.822.42%
2008$51.433.24%
2009$52.932.91%
2010$53.120.36%
2011$53.350.42%
2012$53.800.85%
2013$54.431.18%
2014$54.790.66%
2015$54.880.15%
2016$55.350.86%
2017$55.720.66%
2018$56.331.11%
2019$57.161.47%
2020$58.141.71%
2021$59.101.65%
2022$60.973.16%
2023$62.873.11%
2024$63.801.49%
2025$64.140.52%
2026$64.360.34%*

* 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 Alcoholic beverages at home:

Year19771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI71.90074.80080.55887.26793.09297.025100.508102.433105.200109.283111.500114.175117.883122.967137.767141.633142.225142.450143.100146.750149.450150.617153.708158.058161.100164.033166.533170.242172.283174.867179.094184.904190.281190.966191.776193.405195.691196.983197.284198.976200.300202.521205.490209.012212.468219.177226.001229.377230.572231.359

Adjust alcohol at home prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1977* 1977 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Alcoholic beverages at home was 71.900 in the year 1977 and 231.359 in 2026:

231.359 / 71.900* $20 = $64.36

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1977 has the same "purchasing power" as $64.36 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Alcoholic beverages at home).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Alcoholic beverages at home in 1977. In addition to alcohol at home, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.