Rice, pasta, cornmeal priced at $0.74 in 1981 $2.16 in 2023

Rice, Pasta, Cornmeal Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Rice, Pasta, Cornmeal, 1981-2023 ($0.74)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for rice, pasta, cornmeal are 191.53% higher in 2023 versus 1981 (a $1.42 difference in value).

The current national average price is $0.74 for "Spaghetti (cost per pound/453.6 grams)". This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

Between 1981 and 2023: Rice, pasta, cornmeal experienced an average inflation rate of 2.58% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, rice, pasta, cornmeal costing $0.74 in the year 1981 would cost $2.16 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.89% during this same period, inflation for rice, pasta, cornmeal was lower.

In the year 1981: Pricing changed by 11.42%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for rice, pasta, cornmeal during the 1981-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1981 (10.33%), inflation for rice, pasta, cornmeal was higher.

Price Inflation for Rice, pasta, cornmeal since 1977

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 2008 (20.58%), 1980 (16.46%), and 2022 (12.81%).

Price history

The average price for Rice, pasta, cornmeal is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Inflation rate is also calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows average prices and their corresponding "real" prices adjusted for inflation rate. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.

Average prices for Spaghetti (cost per pound/453.6 grams):

YearAverage price (Rice, pasta, cornmeal)Inflation adjusted price (2023 dollars)
1981$0.74$0.74
1980$0.68$0.76

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Buying power of $0.74 since 1981

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Rice, pasta, cornmeal, over time, for $0.74 beginning in 1981. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1981$0.7411.42%
1982$0.74-0.58%
1983$0.72-2.14%
1984$0.742.28%
1985$0.751.28%
1986$0.750.16%
1987$0.74-0.53%
1988$0.8412.46%
1989$0.884.90%
1990$0.891.67%
1991$0.923.74%
1992$0.941.38%
1993$0.951.12%
1994$1.027.66%
1995$1.020.37%
1996$1.052.85%
1997$1.093.17%
1998$1.101.20%
1999$1.110.89%
2000$1.10-0.76%
2001$1.132.60%
2002$1.140.77%
2003$1.172.89%
2004$1.202.58%
2005$1.210.48%
2006$1.253.69%
2007$1.335.87%
2008$1.6020.58%
2009$1.685.09%
2010$1.64-2.39%
2011$1.714.31%
2012$1.752.26%
2013$1.750.02%
2014$1.74-0.54%
2015$1.771.48%
2016$1.75-1.05%
2017$1.71-2.03%
2018$1.730.84%
2019$1.740.76%
2020$1.782.49%
2021$1.790.64%
2022$2.0212.81%
2023$2.166.60%*

* 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 Rice, pasta, cornmeal:

Year19771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
CPI67.50074.13178.04690.892101.269100.68598.531100.777102.069102.231101.685114.354119.962121.969126.531128.277129.715139.654140.177144.177148.754150.538151.877150.723154.638155.831160.338164.477165.262171.354181.421218.763229.900224.406234.088239.384239.427238.133241.647239.110234.257236.233238.024243.947245.514276.958295.230

Adjust rice, pasta, cornmeal prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1981 * 1981 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Rice, pasta, cornmeal was 101.269 in the year 1981 and 295.230 in 2023:

295.230 / 101.269 * $0.74 = $2.16

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $0.74 in 1981 has the same "purchasing power" as $2.16 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Rice, pasta, cornmeal).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Rice, pasta, cornmeal in 1977. In addition to rice, pasta, cornmeal, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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