Communication priced at $20 in 1993 $15.42 in 2024

Communication Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Communication, 1993-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for communication are 22.92% lower in 2024 versus 1993 (a $4.58 difference in value).

Between 1993 and 2024: Communication experienced an average inflation rate of -0.84% per year. In other words, communication costing $20 in the year 1993 would cost $15.42 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.53% during this same period, inflation for communication was significantly lower.

Price Inflation for Communication since 1993

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2017 (-5.34%), 2004 (-3.36%), and 2003 (-2.80%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1993

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Communication, over time, for $20 beginning in 1993. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1993$20.00-
1994$20.170.85%
1995$20.431.31%
1996$20.590.76%
1997$20.740.73%
1998$20.40-1.66%
1999$19.84-2.71%
2000$19.34-2.53%
2001$19.30-0.24%
2002$19.08-1.11%
2003$18.55-2.80%
2004$17.92-3.36%
2005$17.52-2.26%
2006$17.39-0.71%
2007$17.24-0.91%
2008$17.400.98%
2009$17.560.91%
2010$17.51-0.32%
2011$17.23-1.58%
2012$17.17-0.34%
2013$17.08-0.54%
2014$16.97-0.67%
2015$16.58-2.26%
2016$16.38-1.21%
2017$15.51-5.34%
2018$15.27-1.52%
2019$15.13-0.92%
2020$15.401.79%
2021$15.681.84%
2022$15.60-0.56%
2023$15.52-0.46%
2024$15.42-0.71%*

* 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 Communication:

Year19931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI96.73897.56298.83899.592100.31598.65495.98593.55493.33192.29289.70886.69284.73184.13183.36784.18584.95484.68183.34583.06082.61382.06380.20879.23675.00473.86273.18374.49175.86075.43775.09274.563

Adjust communication prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1993 * 1993 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Communication was 96.738 in the year 1993 and 74.563 in 2024:

74.563 / 96.738 * $20 = $15.42

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1993 has the same "purchasing power" as $15.42 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Communication).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Communication in 1993. In addition to communication, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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