Prescription drugs inflation
Prescription drugs prices since 2000
Up 93%
An average of 2.55% a year, compared with 95% for all U.S. prices (overall CPI). $100 of 2000 prescription drugs costs $192.86 in August 2026.
Last 12 months (to August 2026)
-2.9%
All U.S. prices, same period
3.4%
Data since
1935
How much prescription drugs prices have risen
| Since | Prescription drugs | All U.S. prices | $100 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +1,168% | +1,290% | $1,268.23 |
| 1970 | +1,061% | +763% | $1,161.20 |
| 1980 | +659% | +307% | $759.19 |
| 1990 | +203% | +156% | $302.92 |
| 2000 | +93% | +95% | $192.86 |
| 2010 | +35% | +54% | $134.96 |
| 2020 | +3% | +29% | $103.44 |
Calculate prescription drugs inflation
Inflation rate by year
Every year since 1935
| Year | Index | Change | $1 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 568.0 | 2.0% | $0.97 |
| 2024 | 556.9 | 1.4% | $0.99 |
| 2023 | 549.5 | 2.9% | $1.00 |
| 2022 | 533.9 | 2.2% | $1.03 |
| 2021 | 522.4 | -1.8% | $1.05 |
| 2020 | 532.1 | 1.0% | $1.03 |
| 2019 | 526.8 | -0.2% | $1.04 |
| 2018 | 528.0 | 1.6% | $1.04 |
| 2017 | 519.6 | 3.4% | $1.06 |
| 2016 | 502.5 | 4.8% | $1.10 |
| 2015 | 479.3 | 4.6% | $1.15 |
| 2014 | 458.3 | 3.6% | $1.20 |
| 2013 | 442.6 | 0.6% | $1.24 |
| 2012 | 440.1 | 3.6% | $1.25 |
| 2011 | 425.0 | 4.2% | $1.30 |
| 2010 | 407.8 | 4.3% | $1.35 |
| 2009 | 391.1 | 3.4% | $1.41 |
| 2008 | 378.3 | 2.5% | $1.46 |
| 2007 | 369.2 | 1.4% | $1.49 |
| 2006 | 363.9 | 4.3% | $1.51 |
| 2005 | 349.0 | 3.5% | $1.58 |
| 2004 | 337.1 | 3.3% | $1.63 |
| 2003 | 326.3 | 3.1% | $1.69 |
| 2002 | 316.5 | 5.2% | $1.74 |
| 2001 | 300.9 | 5.4% | $1.83 |
| 2000 | 285.4 | 4.4% | $1.93 |
| 1999 | 273.4 | 5.7% | $2.01 |
| 1998 | 258.6 | 3.7% | $2.13 |
| 1997 | 249.3 | 2.6% | $2.21 |
| 1996 | 242.9 | 3.4% | $2.27 |
| 1995 | 235.0 | 1.9% | $2.34 |
| 1994 | 230.6 | 3.4% | $2.39 |
| 1993 | 223.0 | 3.9% | $2.47 |
| 1992 | 214.7 | 7.5% | $2.56 |
| 1991 | 199.7 | 9.9% | $2.76 |
| 1990 | 181.7 | 10.0% | $3.03 |
| 1989 | 165.2 | 8.7% | $3.33 |
| 1988 | 152.0 | 8.0% | $3.62 |
| 1987 | 140.8 | 8.0% | $3.91 |
| 1986 | 130.4 | 8.6% | $4.22 |
| 1985 | 120.1 | 9.5% | $4.58 |
| 1984 | 109.7 | 9.6% | $5.02 |
| 1983 | 100.1 | 11.0% | $5.50 |
| 1982 | 90.2 | 11.6% | $6.10 |
| 1981 | 80.8 | 11.4% | $6.81 |
| 1980 | 72.5 | 9.2% | $7.59 |
| 1979 | 66.4 | 7.8% | $8.29 |
| 1978 | 61.6 | 7.7% | $8.94 |
| 1977 | 57.2 | 6.1% | $9.62 |
| 1976 | 53.9 | 5.3% | $10.21 |
| 1975 | 51.2 | 6.2% | $10.75 |
| 1974 | 48.2 | 2.3% | $11.42 |
| 1973 | 47.1 | -0.2% | $11.69 |
| 1972 | 47.2 | -0.4% | $11.66 |
| 1971 | 47.4 | 0.0% | $11.61 |
| 1970 | 47.4 | 1.7% | $11.61 |
| 1969 | 46.6 | 1.3% | $11.81 |
| 1968 | 46.0 | -1.7% | $11.97 |
| 1967 | 46.8 | -1.9% | $11.76 |
| 1966 | 47.7 | -0.2% | $11.54 |
| 1965 | 47.8 | -1.0% | $11.51 |
| 1964 | 48.3 | -1.2% | $11.40 |
| 1963 | 48.9 | -2.4% | $11.26 |
| 1962 | 50.1 | -4.0% | $10.99 |
| 1961 | 52.2 | -3.3% | $10.54 |
| 1960 | 54.0 | -0.4% | $10.19 |
| 1959 | 54.2 | 2.3% | $10.16 |
| 1958 | 53.0 | 4.5% | $10.39 |
| 1957 | 50.7 | 3.5% | $10.86 |
| 1956 | 49.0 | 2.9% | $11.23 |
| 1955 | 47.6 | 1.5% | $11.56 |
| 1954 | 46.9 | 2.0% | $11.74 |
| 1953 | 46.0 | 0.0% | $11.97 |
| 1952 | 46.0 | 1.1% | $11.97 |
| 1951 | 45.5 | 4.8% | $12.10 |
| 1950 | 43.4 | 2.8% | $12.68 |
| 1949 | 42.2 | 2.4% | $13.04 |
| 1948 | 41.2 | 8.1% | $13.36 |
| 1947 | 38.1 | 10.1% | $14.45 |
| 1946 | 34.6 | 3.3% | $15.91 |
| 1945 | 33.5 | 1.2% | $16.43 |
| 1944 | 33.1 | 1.8% | $16.63 |
| 1943 | 32.5 | 0.9% | $16.94 |
| 1942 | 32.2 | 2.5% | $17.09 |
| 1941 | 31.4 | 1.3% | $17.53 |
| 1940 | 31.0 | 0.0% | $17.76 |
| 1939 | 31.0 | 0.0% | $17.76 |
| 1938 | 31.0 | 0.6% | $17.76 |
| 1937 | 30.8 | 0.7% | $17.87 |
| 1936 | 30.6 | 0.0% | $17.99 |
| 1935 | 30.6 | $17.99 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U series CUUR0000SEMF01, not seasonally adjusted. Index values are relative (only the changes matter), so they can't be compared across categories.
Questions
- How much have prescription drugs prices gone up since 2000?
- Prescription drugs prices rose 93% from 2000 to August 2026, slower than overall prices (95%).
- What is the inflation rate for prescription drugs right now?
- Prescription drugs prices were 2.9% lower in August 2026 than a year earlier.
- What did $100 of prescription drugs in 2000 cost in August 2026?
- $192.86.
- Where does this data come from?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics price index for prescription drugs (series CUUR0000SEMF01), part of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. It tracks price changes for the same kind of item over time, not average prices.