Durables priced at $20 in 2003 $21.59 in 2023

Durables Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Durables, 2003-2023 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for durables are 7.95% higher in 2023 versus 2003 (a $1.59 difference in value).

Between 2003 and 2023: Durables experienced an average inflation rate of 0.38% per year. In other words, durables costing $20 in the year 2003 would cost $21.59 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.55% during this same period, inflation for durables was lower.

In the year 2003: Pricing changed by -3.23%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for durables during the 2003-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2003 (2.27%), 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
Women's apparel · Electricity · Wireless telephone services · Airline fares · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 2003

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Durables, over time, for $20 beginning in 2003. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2003$20.00-3.23%
2004$19.54-2.32%
2005$19.620.42%
2006$19.49-0.68%
2007$19.15-1.74%
2008$18.87-1.42%
2009$18.70-0.92%
2010$18.951.33%
2011$19.161.11%
2012$19.200.21%
2013$19.05-0.80%
2014$18.78-1.38%
2015$18.57-1.12%
2016$18.26-1.68%
2017$17.92-1.86%
2018$17.77-0.82%
2019$17.840.35%
2020$18.000.90%
2021$19.9010.59%
2022$21.809.54%
2023$21.59-0.97%*

* 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 2003 * 2003 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Durables was 117.492 in the year 2003 and 126.835 in 2023:

126.835 / 117.492 * $20 = $21.59

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 2003 has the same "purchasing power" as $21.59 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.

» Read more about inflation and investment.