Private transportation price history from 1984 through 2020

Private Transportation Inflation Calculator

Prices for Private Transportation, 1984-2020 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for private transportation were 90.08% higher in 2020 versus 1984 (a $18.02 difference in value).

Between 1984 and 2020: Private transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 1.80% per year. In other words, private transportation costing $20 in the year 1984 would cost $38.02 in 2020 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.56% during this same period, inflation for private transportation was lower.

Price Inflation for Private transportation since 1984

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

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2011 (10.01%), 2009 (-8.52%), and 2015 (-8.20%).

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Private transportation:

Year	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	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	103.567	106.167	101.200	104.200	107.600	112.933	118.800	121.900	124.600	127.533	131.400	136.267	140.033	141.000	137.933	140.500	149.100	150.033	148.800	153.600	159.400	170.200	176.967	180.778	191.039	174.762	188.747	207.641	212.752	212.399	210.994	193.698	189.502	196.635	206.442	205.774	196.858

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Buying power of $20 since 1984

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Private transportation, over time, for $20 beginning in 1984. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1984	$20.00	-
1985	$20.50	2.51%
1986	$19.54	-4.68%
1987	$20.12	2.96%
1988	$20.78	3.26%
1989	$21.81	4.96%
1990	$22.94	5.19%
1991	$23.54	2.61%
1992	$24.06	2.21%
1993	$24.63	2.35%
1994	$25.37	3.03%
1995	$26.31	3.70%
1996	$27.04	2.76%
1997	$27.23	0.69%
1998	$26.64	-2.17%
1999	$27.13	1.86%
2000	$28.79	6.12%
2001	$28.97	0.63%
2002	$28.74	-0.82%
2003	$29.66	3.23%
2004	$30.78	3.78%
2005	$32.87	6.78%
2006	$34.17	3.98%
2007	$34.91	2.15%
2008	$36.89	5.68%
2009	$33.75	-8.52%
2010	$36.45	8.00%
2011	$40.10	10.01%
2012	$41.09	2.46%
2013	$41.02	-0.17%
2014	$40.75	-0.66%
2015	$37.41	-8.20%
2016	$36.60	-2.17%
2017	$37.97	3.76%
2018	$39.87	4.99%
2019	$39.74	-0.32%
2020	$38.02	-4.33%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for private transportation, 1984-2020

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2020 / CPI in 1984 * 1984 USD value = 2020 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Private transportation was 103.567 in the year 1984 and 196.858 in 2020:

196.858 / 103.567 * $20 = $38.02

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1984 has the same "purchasing power" as $38.02 in 2020 (in the CPI category of Private transportation).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Private transportation in 1984. In addition to private transportation, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.