Coffee price history from 1997 through 2021

Coffee Inflation Calculator

Prices for Coffee, 1997-2021 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for coffee were 16.51% higher in 2021 versus 1997 (a $3.30 difference in value).

Between 1997 and 2021: Coffee experienced an average inflation rate of 0.64% per year. In other words, coffee costing $20 in the year 1997 would cost $23.30 in 2021 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.06% during this same period, inflation for coffee was lower.

In the year 1997: Pricing changed by 12.64%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for coffee during the 1997-2021 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1997 (2.33%), inflation for coffee was much higher.

Price Inflation for Coffee since 1967

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1977 (77.12%), 1976 (37.42%), and 1994 (27.92%).

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

Year	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
CPI	26.623	26.485	26.854	31.715	32.623	32.100	35.715	42.554	46.392	63.754	112.923	107.200	101.815	111.608	96.185	98.500	98.815	102.708	105.462	132.692	116.177	114.962	120.408	117.485	115.254	110.738	109.777	140.431	163.131	149.162	168.015	163.431	154.754	153.992	146.731	142.585	144.931	145.323	161.223	165.277	175.647	188.027	186.317	186.418	213.824	217.441	204.712	200.984	205.540	199.307	199.156	194.876	193.237	194.177	195.758

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Buying power of $20 since 1997

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Coffee, over time, for $20 beginning in 1997. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1997	$20.00	12.64%
1998	$19.45	-2.73%
1999	$18.42	-5.31%
2000	$18.33	-0.49%
2001	$17.47	-4.72%
2002	$16.97	-2.83%
2003	$17.25	1.65%
2004	$17.30	0.27%
2005	$19.19	10.94%
2006	$19.67	2.51%
2007	$20.91	6.27%
2008	$22.38	7.05%
2009	$22.18	-0.91%
2010	$22.19	0.05%
2011	$25.45	14.70%
2012	$25.88	1.69%
2013	$24.37	-5.85%
2014	$23.92	-1.82%
2015	$24.47	2.27%
2016	$23.72	-3.03%
2017	$23.71	-0.08%
2018	$23.20	-2.15%
2019	$23.00	-0.84%
2020	$23.11	0.49%
2021	$23.30	0.81%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for coffee, 1997-2021

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2021 / CPI in 1997 * 1997 USD value = 2021 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Coffee was 168.015 in the year 1997 and 195.758 in 2021:

195.758 / 168.015 * $20 = $23.30

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1997 has the same "purchasing power" as $23.30 in 2021 (in the CPI category of Coffee).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Coffee in 1967. In addition to coffee, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.