Energy services priced at $20 in 1981 $68.08 in 2025

Energy Services Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Energy Services, 1981-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for energy services are 240.39% higher in 2025 versus 1981 (a $48.08 difference in value).

Between 1981 and 2025: Energy services experienced an average inflation rate of 2.82% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, energy services costing $20 in the year 1981 would cost $68.08 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.90% during this same period, inflation for energy services was lower.

In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 14.60%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for energy services during the 1981-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation for energy services was much 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%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1981

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Energy services, over time, for $20 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1981$20.0014.60%
1982$22.7713.85%
1983$24.798.87%
1984$25.743.84%
1985$26.171.67%
1986$25.83-1.31%
1987$25.37-1.78%
1988$25.570.77%
1989$26.282.78%
1990$26.711.67%
1991$27.512.99%
1992$28.051.94%
1993$28.953.24%
1994$29.130.62%
1995$29.12-0.05%
1996$29.822.42%
1997$30.562.46%
1998$29.62-3.06%
1999$29.53-0.32%
2000$31.285.94%
2001$34.8011.23%
2002$32.84-5.62%
2003$35.447.90%
2004$36.803.86%
2005$40.6910.56%
2006$44.509.36%
2007$45.512.28%
2008$49.418.56%
2009$47.29-4.28%
2010$47.13-0.35%
2011$47.500.78%
2012$46.35-2.42%
2013$47.602.70%
2014$49.694.40%
2015$48.55-2.29%
2016$47.90-1.33%
2017$49.533.38%
2018$49.800.55%
2019$49.71-0.18%
2020$49.970.52%
2021$53.487.02%
2022$62.0816.09%
2023$63.672.55%
2024$65.492.87%
2025$68.083.95%*

* 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:

Year1935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI20.40019.98319.62019.62019.60019.44019.26919.18519.07719.01518.86918.32318.26918.70819.20819.20819.30019.53119.93820.18520.69220.93121.13121.89222.43823.33823.51523.51523.50823.52323.48523.57723.66923.87724.32325.38527.14628.51529.90834.49240.13844.71550.49255.03161.00871.42381.85493.192101.454105.354107.115105.715103.831104.631107.538109.331112.600114.785118.500119.231119.177122.062125.062121.238120.854128.031142.408134.408145.031150.623166.523182.108186.262202.212193.563192.886194.386189.679194.810203.374198.708196.059202.691203.815203.454204.508218.863254.085260.571268.041278.619

Adjust energy services prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1981 * 1981 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Energy services was 81.854 in the year 1981 and 278.619 in 2025:

278.619 / 81.854 * $20 = $68.08

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1981 has the same "purchasing power" as $68.08 in 2025 (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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