Motor fuel priced at $20 in 1973 $193.39 in 2024

Motor Fuel Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Motor Fuel, 1973-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor fuel are 866.96% higher in 2024 versus 1973 (a $173.39 difference in value).

Between 1973 and 2024: Motor fuel experienced an average inflation rate of 4.55% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, motor fuel costing $20 in the year 1973 would cost $193.39 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.91% during this same period, inflation for motor fuel was higher.

In the year 1973: Pricing changed by 9.69%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for motor fuel during the 1973-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1973 (6.18%), inflation for motor fuel was much higher.

Price Inflation for Motor fuel since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (38.92%), 2021 (35.77%), and 1974 (35.49%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1973

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Motor fuel, over time, for $20 beginning in 1973. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1973$20.009.69%
1974$27.1035.49%
1975$28.946.79%
1976$30.144.16%
1977$31.895.78%
1978$33.244.26%
1979$45.0035.37%
1980$62.5138.92%
1981$69.6011.33%
1982$65.96-5.22%
1983$63.77-3.33%
1984$62.78-1.55%
1985$63.310.85%
1986$49.47-21.86%
1987$51.484.05%
1988$51.900.82%
1989$56.809.43%
1990$64.9214.30%
1991$63.78-1.76%
1992$63.54-0.38%
1993$62.88-1.04%
1994$63.190.49%
1995$64.151.52%
1996$68.206.32%
1997$68.16-0.06%
1998$59.14-13.23%
1999$64.629.26%
2000$82.9928.42%
2001$80.01-3.58%
2002$74.82-6.49%
2003$87.1116.43%
2004$102.9118.14%
2005$125.5522.00%
2006$141.8312.96%
2007$153.408.16%
2008$179.4416.97%
2009$129.60-27.78%
2010$153.4718.42%
2011$194.1826.52%
2012$200.623.32%
2013$194.97-2.82%
2014$187.64-3.76%
2015$136.71-27.14%
2016$120.88-11.58%
2017$136.4912.92%
2018$155.1913.70%
2019$149.66-3.57%
2020$125.28-16.29%
2021$170.0935.77%
2022$224.7532.13%
2023$201.00-10.56%
2024$193.39-3.79%*

* 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 Motor fuel:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI13.12513.61714.22013.74012.92012.61413.30814.07714.25414.30014.24614.50816.35018.64019.14018.96019.52020.04021.34021.74022.14022.88023.76923.43123.71524.40824.14624.29224.22324.10025.16725.64026.38526.78527.66227.88528.06928.41531.16942.23145.10046.97749.69251.80870.13197.423108.462102.80099.37797.83898.66977.10080.22380.88588.515101.17799.40099.02397.99298.47799.969106.285106.22392.169100.708129.331124.700116.608135.762160.385195.669221.031239.070279.652201.978239.178302.619312.660303.850292.435213.062188.389212.721241.861233.234195.242265.083350.261313.257301.394

Adjust motor fuel prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1973 * 1973 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Motor fuel was 31.169 in the year 1973 and 301.394 in 2024:

301.394 / 31.169 * $20 = $193.39

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1973 has the same "purchasing power" as $193.39 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Motor fuel).


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

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