Private transportation priced at $20 in 2004 $33.93 in 2025

Private Transportation Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Private Transportation, 2004-2025 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for private transportation are 69.67% higher in 2025 versus 2004 (a $13.93 difference in value).

Between 2004 and 2025: Private transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 2.55% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, private transportation costing $20 in the year 2004 would cost $33.93 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.52% during this same period, inflation for private transportation was higher.

In the year 2004: Pricing changed by 3.76%, which is above the average yearly change for private transportation during the 2004-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2004 (2.68%), inflation for private transportation was higher.

Price Inflation for Private transportation since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (17.34%), 2021 (15.63%), and 2022 (15.47%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 2004

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Private transportation, over time, for $20 beginning in 2004. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2004$20.003.76%
2005$21.366.80%
2006$22.213.97%
2007$22.692.16%
2008$23.985.68%
2009$21.93-8.52%
2010$23.698.00%
2011$26.0610.01%
2012$26.702.46%
2013$26.66-0.17%
2014$26.48-0.66%
2015$24.31-8.20%
2016$23.78-2.17%
2017$24.683.76%
2018$25.914.99%
2019$25.82-0.32%
2020$24.93-3.46%
2021$28.8315.63%
2022$33.2915.47%
2023$33.430.42%
2024$33.921.48%
2025$33.930.03%*

* 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 Private transportation:

Year1935193619371938193919401941194219431944194519461947194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
CPI14.62514.88315.40015.44014.90014.74015.62017.74017.36017.40017.30018.52020.81523.03824.43824.49225.58527.31527.80027.13826.67727.05428.62329.50830.78530.60830.85431.43831.56932.00032.52332.91533.80034.80035.98537.52339.39239.68541.03846.13850.59255.60859.65462.48571.73884.17793.74697.14699.292103.585106.154101.200104.238107.562112.915118.815121.908124.615127.515131.392136.269140.023140.969137.900140.477149.123150.038148.769153.585159.362170.192176.954180.778191.039174.762188.747207.641212.752212.399210.994193.698189.502196.635206.442205.774198.661229.703265.249266.372270.308270.391

Adjust private transportation prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2025 / CPI in 2004 * 2004 USD value = 2025 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Private transportation was 159.362 in the year 2004 and 270.391 in 2025:

270.391 / 159.362 * $20 = $33.93

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 2004 has the same "purchasing power" as $33.93 in 2025 (in the CPI category of Private transportation).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Private transportation in 1935. 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.

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