$1 in 1940 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $0.96 in 1939. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 4.25% per year between 1939 and 1940, producing a cumulative price increase of -4.08%.
This means that prices in 1939 are 4.08% lower than average prices in 1940, according to Statistics Canada consumer price index.
The inflation rate in 1939 was -0.76%. The inflation rate in 1940 was 4.25%. The 1940 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 3.59% per year between 1940 and 2026.
| Average inflation rate | 4.25% |
|
Converted amount
$1 base | $0.96 |
|
Price difference
$1 base | $-0.04 |
| CPI in 1940 | 7.975 |
| CPI in 1939 | 7.650 |
| Inflation in 1939 | -0.76% |
| Inflation in 1940 | 4.25% |
| $1 in 1940 | $0.96 in 1939 |
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1939 and 1940:
Then plug in historical CPI values. The Canadian CPI was 7.975 in the year 1940 and 7.65 in 1939:
$1 in 1940 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $0.96 in 1939.
To get the total inflation rate for the 1 years between 1939 and 1940, we use the following formula:
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
$1 in 1940 has about the same buying power as $0.96 in 1939, based on the consumer price index published by Statistics Canada. Prices in 1939 are 4.08% lower than they were in 1940.
The Canadian inflation rate in 1939 was -0.76%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1938 to 1939. See inflation in 1939 for more detail.
Prices rose by an average of 4.25% per year between 1939 and 1940, a cumulative increase of 4.25%.
Divide the CPI in 1939 (7.65) by the CPI in 1940 (7.975), then multiply by the original amount: 7.65 ÷ 7.975 × $1 = $0.96. See the step-by-step formula above.
Raw data for these calculations comes from the government of Canada's annual Consumer Price Index (CPI), established in 1914 and computed by Statistics Canada (StatCan).
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$1 in 1940 → 1939 | Canada Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 5 Oct. 2026, https://www.officialdata.org/canada/inflation/1940?amount=1&endYear=1939.
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.
| Average inflation rate | 4.25% |
|
Converted amount
$1 base | $0.96 |
|
Price difference
$1 base | $-0.04 |
| CPI in 1940 | 7.975 |
| CPI in 1939 | 7.650 |
| Inflation in 1939 | -0.76% |
| Inflation in 1940 | 4.25% |
| $1 in 1940 | $0.96 in 1939 |