Durables priced at $20 in 1989 $22.62 in 2023

Durables Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Durables, 1989-2023 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for durables are 13.09% higher in 2023 versus 1989 (a $2.62 difference in value).

Between 1989 and 2023: Durables experienced an average inflation rate of 0.36% per year. In other words, durables costing $20 in the year 1989 would cost $22.62 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.68% during this same period, inflation for durables was lower.

In the year 1989: Pricing changed by 1.62%, which is above the average yearly change for durables during the 1989-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1989 (4.83%), inflation for durables was much lower.

Price Inflation for Durables since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1942 (12.81%), 1975 (11.41%), and 2021 (10.59%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1989

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Durables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1989. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1989$20.001.62%
1990$20.221.12%
1991$20.692.28%
1992$21.152.22%
1993$21.632.27%
1994$22.252.91%
1995$22.822.56%
1996$23.071.07%
1997$22.95-0.49%
1998$22.75-0.90%
1999$22.46-1.25%
2000$22.36-0.47%
2001$22.22-0.61%
2002$21.65-2.57%
2003$20.95-3.23%
2004$20.47-2.32%
2005$20.550.42%
2006$20.41-0.68%
2007$20.06-1.74%
2008$19.77-1.42%
2009$19.59-0.92%
2010$19.851.33%
2011$20.071.11%
2012$20.110.21%
2013$19.95-0.80%
2014$19.68-1.38%
2015$19.46-1.12%
2016$19.13-1.68%
2017$18.77-1.86%
2018$18.62-0.82%
2019$18.690.35%
2020$18.850.90%
2021$20.8510.59%
2022$22.849.54%
2023$22.62-0.97%*

* 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 Durables:

Year19351936193719381939194019411942194319441945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
CPI17.80018.08319.32019.50019.12018.98020.46023.08023.88026.20028.04029.36031.84034.16034.44035.00037.66038.00037.70036.74036.02036.08537.24637.80838.35438.13838.13838.51538.61538.94638.80038.83839.44640.63842.20844.07745.93146.91548.06951.50057.37760.87764.37768.57775.36982.97789.60095.08599.800105.100106.762106.577108.192110.369112.154113.415116.000118.577121.269124.792127.992129.362128.723127.562125.969125.377124.615121.415117.492114.769115.254114.469112.473110.877109.859111.324112.557112.790111.889110.349109.116107.279105.283104.420104.781105.723116.923128.077126.835

Adjust durables prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1989 * 1989 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Durables was 112.154 in the year 1989 and 126.835 in 2023:

126.835 / 112.154 * $20 = $22.62

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1989 has the same "purchasing power" as $22.62 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Durables).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Durables in 1935. In addition to durables, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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