Nondurables priced at $20 in 1970 $136.28 in 2025

Nondurables Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Nondurables, 1970-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for nondurables are 581.38% higher in 2025 versus 1970 (a $116.28 difference in value).

Between 1970 and 2025: Nondurables experienced an average inflation rate of 3.55% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, nondurables costing $20 in the year 1970 would cost $136.28 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.90% during this same period, inflation for nondurables was lower.

In the year 1970: Pricing changed by 4.78%, which is above the average yearly change for nondurables during the 1970-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1970 (5.83%), inflation for nondurables was lower.

Price Inflation for Nondurables since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (19.78%), 1942 (14.55%), and 1974 (13.67%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1970

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Nondurables, over time, for $20 beginning in 1970. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1970$20.004.78%
1971$20.643.21%
1972$21.323.31%
1973$23.299.20%
1974$26.4713.67%
1975$28.608.07%
1976$29.663.69%
1977$31.375.75%
1978$33.677.34%
1979$37.8512.43%
1980$42.9513.47%
1981$46.688.69%
1982$47.972.76%
1983$48.901.94%
1984$50.242.73%
1985$51.402.31%
1986$50.76-1.25%
1987$52.703.83%
1988$54.844.04%
1989$57.965.70%
1990$61.806.61%
1991$63.903.41%
1992$65.101.88%
1993$66.231.73%
1994$67.091.30%
1995$68.331.84%
1996$70.383.00%
1997$71.771.98%
1998$72.060.40%
1999$74.142.89%
2000$77.564.61%
2001$78.741.52%
2002$78.980.31%
2003$81.042.61%
2004$84.424.17%
2005$88.374.67%
2006$91.573.62%
2007$94.873.61%
2008$100.976.43%
2009$97.36-3.57%
2010$100.663.39%
2011$107.426.71%
2012$110.152.54%
2013$110.470.29%
2014$111.150.62%
2015$106.72-3.99%
2016$105.42-1.22%
2017$107.702.16%
2018$110.752.83%
2019$111.140.35%
2020$110.32-0.74%
2021$117.686.67%
2022$131.4911.73%
2023$134.592.36%
2024$135.730.85%
2025$136.280.40%*

* 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 Nondurables:

Year1935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI13.90014.16714.68013.98013.68013.88014.98017.16018.56018.68019.22021.64025.92027.62026.70027.08029.58029.80029.76029.68029.54029.93130.86931.66231.55431.94632.23832.50032.90833.23833.83835.07735.75437.13838.92340.78542.09243.48547.48553.97758.33160.48563.96268.65477.18587.58595.19297.82399.723102.446104.815103.508107.477111.823118.200126.015130.315132.762135.062136.815139.338143.515146.354146.938151.185158.154160.562161.062165.269172.162180.208186.731193.468205.901198.548205.271219.049224.622225.271226.662217.624214.973219.620225.843226.642224.974239.982268.138274.459276.786277.900

Adjust nondurables prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 1970 * 1970 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Nondurables was 40.785 in the year 1970 and 277.900 in 2025:

277.900 / 40.785 * $20 = $136.28

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1970 has the same "purchasing power" as $136.28 in 2025 (in the CPI category of Nondurables).


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

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