Photo processing price inflation, 1997→2020

Photo Processing Inflation Calculator

Prices for Photo Processing, 1997-2020 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for photo processing are 13.16% higher in 2020 versus 1997 (a $2.63 difference in value).

Between 1997 and 2020: Photo processing experienced an average inflation rate of 0.54% per year. In other words, photo processing costing $20 in the year 1997 would cost $22.63 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.10% during this same period, inflation for photo processing was lower.

Price Inflation for Photo processing since 1997

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2018 (-7.28%), 2009 (5.11%), and 2011 (3.65%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1997

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Photo processing, over time, for $20 beginning in 1997. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1997	$20.00	-
1998	$20.00	0.01%
1999	$19.97	-0.15%
2000	$20.12	0.75%
2001	$19.99	-0.63%
2002	$20.08	0.43%
2003	$20.13	0.27%
2004	$20.06	-0.37%
2005	$19.90	-0.78%
2006	$19.85	-0.24%
2007	$19.78	-0.39%
2008	$20.09	1.57%
2009	$21.11	5.11%
2010	$21.48	1.73%
2011	$22.26	3.65%
2012	$22.67	1.84%
2013	$22.88	0.93%
2014	$23.56	2.96%
2015	$24.15	2.52%
2016	$24.66	2.10%
2017	$24.22	-1.78%
2018	$22.46	-7.28%
2019	$22.62	0.74%
2020	$22.63	0.04%*

* 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 Photo processing:

Year	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
CPI	100.000	100.008	99.854	100.600	99.962	100.392	100.662	100.292	99.508	99.269	98.882	100.430	105.562	107.391	111.308	113.352	114.409	117.798	120.771	123.303	121.105	112.290	113.120	113.162

Adjust photo processing prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2020 / CPI in 1997 * 1997 USD value = 2020 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Photo processing was 100.000 in the year 1997 and 113.162 in 2020:

113.162 / 100.000 * $20 = $22.63

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1997 has the same "purchasing power" as $22.63 in 2020 (in the CPI category of Photo processing).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Photo processing in 1997. In addition to photo processing, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.