Medicinal drugs inflation, 2009–2026

Prices are 34.03% higher than in 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Medicinal Drugs Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Medicinal Drugs, 2009-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for medicinal drugs are 34.03% higher in 2026 versus 2009 (a $6.81 difference in value).

Between 2009 and 2026, Medicinal drugs experienced an average inflation rate of 1.74% per year. In other words, medicinal drugs costing $20 in the year 2009 would cost $26.81 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.61% during this same period, inflation for medicinal drugs was lower.

Price Inflation for Medicinal drugs since 2009

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2023 (3.92%), 2016 (3.57%), and 2015 (3.44%).

The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.

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Buying power of $20.00 since 2009

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Medicinal drugs, over time, for $20 beginning in 2009. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2009$20.00-
2010$20.452.27%
2011$21.093.12%
2012$21.733.02%
2013$21.830.45%
2014$22.402.62%
2015$23.173.44%
2016$24.003.57%
2017$24.692.88%
2018$24.981.18%
2019$24.95-0.11%
2020$25.110.63%
2021$24.73-1.52%
2022$25.422.78%
2023$26.413.92%
2024$26.992.18%
2025$27.261.00%
2026$26.81-1.66%*

* 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 Medicinal drugs:

Year200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI100.000102.268105.455108.640109.130111.993115.850119.989123.444124.905124.772125.555123.646127.081132.058134.934136.283134.027

Adjust medicinal drugs prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 2009* 2009 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Medicinal drugs was 100.000 in the year 2009 and 134.027 in 2026:

134.027 / 100.000* $20 = $26.81

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 2009 has the same "purchasing power" as $26.81 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Medicinal drugs).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Medicinal drugs in 2009. In addition to medicinal drugs, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.