Energy services priced at $20 in 1978 $94.71 in 2023

Energy Services Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Energy Services, 1978-2023 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for energy services are 373.56% higher in 2023 versus 1978 (a $74.71 difference in value).

Between 1978 and 2023: Energy services experienced an average inflation rate of 3.52% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, energy services costing $20 in the year 1978 would cost $94.71 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.48% during this same period, inflation for energy services was higher.

In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 8.99%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for energy services during the 1978-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation for energy services was higher.

Price Inflation for Energy services since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (17.07%), 1975 (16.37%), and 2022 (16.09%).

View price changes for other categories
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Buying power of $20.00 since 1978

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Energy services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1978$20.008.99%
1979$22.1710.86%
1980$25.9617.07%
1981$29.7514.60%
1982$33.8713.85%
1983$36.878.87%
1984$38.293.84%
1985$38.931.67%
1986$38.42-1.31%
1987$37.74-1.78%
1988$38.030.77%
1989$39.082.78%
1990$39.731.67%
1991$40.922.99%
1992$41.721.94%
1993$43.073.24%
1994$43.330.62%
1995$43.31-0.05%
1996$44.362.42%
1997$45.452.46%
1998$44.06-3.06%
1999$43.92-0.32%
2000$46.535.94%
2001$51.7611.23%
2002$48.85-5.62%
2003$52.717.90%
2004$54.743.86%
2005$60.5210.56%
2006$66.189.36%
2007$67.692.28%
2008$73.498.56%
2009$70.35-4.28%
2010$70.10-0.35%
2011$70.650.78%
2012$68.94-2.42%
2013$70.802.70%
2014$73.914.40%
2015$72.22-2.29%
2016$71.25-1.33%
2017$73.663.38%
2018$74.070.55%
2019$73.94-0.18%
2020$74.320.52%
2021$79.547.02%
2022$92.3416.09%
2023$94.712.57%*

* 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 Energy services:

Year19351936193719381939194019411942194319441945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
CPI20.40019.98319.62019.62019.60019.44019.26919.18519.07719.01518.86918.32318.26918.70819.20819.20819.30019.53119.93820.18520.69220.93121.13121.89222.43823.33823.51523.51523.50823.52323.48523.57723.66923.87724.32325.38527.14628.51529.90834.49240.13844.71550.49255.03161.00871.42381.85493.192101.454105.354107.115105.715103.831104.631107.538109.331112.600114.785118.500119.231119.177122.062125.062121.238120.854128.031142.408134.408145.031150.623166.523182.108186.262202.212193.563192.886194.386189.679194.810203.374198.708196.059202.691203.815203.454204.508218.863254.085260.603

Adjust energy services prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1978 * 1978 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Energy services was 55.031 in the year 1978 and 260.603 in 2023:

260.603 / 55.031 * $20 = $94.71

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1978 has the same "purchasing power" as $94.71 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Energy services).


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

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