Cell service priced at $50 in 2002 $35.99 in 2023

Cell Service Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Cell Service, 2002-2023 ($50)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for wireless telephone services are 28.01% lower in 2023 versus 2002 (a $14.01 difference in value).

Between 2002 and 2023: Cell service experienced an average inflation rate of -1.55% per year. In other words, cell service costing $50 in the year 2002 would cost $35.99 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.49% during this same period, inflation for cell service was significantly lower.

In the year 2002: Pricing changed by -1.11%, which is above the average yearly change for cell service during the 2002-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 2002 (1.59%), inflation for cell service was lower.

Price Inflation for Wireless telephone services since 1997

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1999 (-10.71%), 2017 (-10.68%), and 2000 (-10.54%).

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Buying power of $50.00 since 2002

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Cell service, over time, for $50 beginning in 2002. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
2002$50.00-1.11%
2003$49.59-0.82%
2004$49.14-0.91%
2005$48.22-1.87%
2006$47.91-0.65%
2007$47.78-0.26%
2008$47.67-0.22%
2009$47.680.03%
2010$46.30-2.90%
2011$44.63-3.60%
2012$44.29-0.78%
2013$43.50-1.78%
2014$42.58-2.11%
2015$40.98-3.77%
2016$40.58-0.97%
2017$36.24-10.68%
2018$35.32-2.55%
2019$34.43-2.53%
2020$35.122.02%
2021$35.741.75%
2022$35.57-0.45%
2023$35.991.18%*

* 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 Wireless telephone services:

Year199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
CPI100.00095.12384.93875.98568.13167.37766.82366.21564.97764.55464.38364.24064.25762.39560.14759.67858.61757.37855.21654.67948.84047.59646.39347.32948.15647.93748.505

Adjust cell service prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 2002 * 2002 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Wireless telephone services was 67.377 in the year 2002 and 48.505 in 2023:

48.505 / 67.377 * $50 = $35.99

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $50 in 2002 has the same "purchasing power" as $35.99 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Wireless telephone services).


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

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