The Australian dollar has lost 86% of its value since 1977
Updated: October 14, 2026$100 in 1977 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $707.39 today, an increase of $607.39 over 49 years. Cumulative inflation since 1977 is 607.39%: the dollar had an average inflation rate of 4.07% per year between 1977 and today.
This means that today's prices are 7.07 times as high as average prices in 1977, according to the Bureau of Statistics consumer price index. A dollar today only buys 14.1% of what it could buy back then.
The inflation rate in 1977 was 12.15%. The current inflation rate compared to the end of last year is now 1.13%. If this number holds, $100 today will be equivalent in buying power to $101.13 next year.
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| Cumulative price change | 607.39% |
| Average inflation rate | 4.07% |
|
Converted amount
$100 base | $707.39 |
|
Price difference
$100 base | $607.39 |
| CPI in 1977 | 20.300 |
| CPI in 2026 | 143.600 |
| Inflation in 1977 | 12.15% |
| Inflation in 2026 | 1.13% |
| $100 in 1977 | $707.39 in 2026 |
Buying power of $100 in 1977
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $100 in 1977 (price index tracking began in 1922).
For example, if you started with $100, you would need to end with $707.39 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $100 is equivalent to $707.39 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single Australian dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store.
This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1977 dollars, the chart below shows how $100 is worth less over 49 years.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, each of these AUD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
This conversion table shows various other 1977 amounts in today's dollars, based on the 607.39% change in prices:
| Initial value | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| $1 dollar in 1977 | $7.07 dollars today |
| $5 dollars in 1977 | $35.37 dollars today |
| $10 dollars in 1977 | $70.74 dollars today |
| $50 dollars in 1977 | $353.69 dollars today |
| $100 dollars in 1977 | $707.39 dollars today |
| $500 dollars in 1977 | $3,536.95 dollars today |
| $1,000 dollars in 1977 | $7,073.89 dollars today |
| $5,000 dollars in 1977 | $35,369.46 dollars today |
| $10,000 dollars in 1977 | $70,738.92 dollars today |
| $50,000 dollars in 1977 | $353,694.58 dollars today |
| $100,000 dollars in 1977 | $707,389.16 dollars today |
| $500,000 dollars in 1977 | $3,536,945.81 dollars today |
| $1,000,000 dollars in 1977 | $7,073,891.63 dollars today |
How to calculate inflation rate for $100 since 1977
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1977 and today:
CPI todayCPI in 1977
×
1977 AUD value
=
Today's value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The Australian CPI was 20.3 in the year 1977 and 143.6 in 2026:
143.620.3
×
$100
=
$707.39
$100 in 1977 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $707.39 in 2026.
To get the total inflation rate for the 49 years between 1977 and 2026, we use the following formula:
CPI in 2026 - CPI in 1977CPI in 1977
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (49 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
143.6 - 20.320.3
×
100
=
607%
Frequently asked questions
How much is $100 from 1977 worth today?
$100 in 1977 has about the same buying power as $707.39 today, based on the consumer price index published by the Bureau of Statistics. Prices today are 7.07 times as high as they were in 1977.
What was the inflation rate in 1977?
The Australian inflation rate in 1977 was 12.15%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1976 to 1977. See inflation in 1977 for more detail.
What has the average inflation rate been since 1977?
Prices rose by an average of 4.07% per year between 1977 and today, a cumulative increase of 607.39%. Because inflation compounds, these yearly changes add up over 49 years.
How much value has the dollar lost since 1977?
A dollar today buys about 14.1% of what it could in 1977. In other words, it has lost about 85.9% of its purchasing power.
How is this calculated?
Divide the CPI in 2026 (143.6) by the CPI in 1977 (20.3), then multiply by the original amount: 143.6 ÷ 20.3 × $100 = $707.39. See the step-by-step formula above.
Data source & citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the government of Australia's annual (CPI) as provided by the Reserve Bank of Australia. The consumer price index was established in 1922 and is tracked by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$100 in 1977 → $707.39 today | Australia Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 20 Oct. 2026, https://www.officialdata.org/australia/inflation/1977.
Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.
in2013dollars.com is a reference website maintained by the Official Data Foundation.
| Cumulative price change | 607.39% |
| Average inflation rate | 4.07% |
|
Converted amount
$100 base | $707.39 |
|
Price difference
$100 base | $607.39 |
| CPI in 1977 | 20.300 |
| CPI in 2026 | 143.600 |
| Inflation in 1977 | 12.15% |
| Inflation in 2026 | 1.13% |
| $100 in 1977 | $707.39 in 2026 |