$1 in 1936 is worth $24.10 today

$1 in 1936 has the same buying power as

$24.10 in August 2026

That is 2,310% more, an average inflation rate of 3.59% a year over 90 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.04 bought in 1936. Cash kept under the mattress since 1936 has lost 96% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1931$22.04-9.0%
1932$24.45-9.9%
1933$25.77-5.1%
1934$25.003.1%
1935$24.452.2%
1936$24.101.5%
1937$23.263.6%
1938$23.76-2.1%
1939$24.10-1.4%
1940$23.930.7%
1941$22.795.0%

How $1 from 1936 grew

$0.00$5.00$10$15$20$25194019601980200020202026.625: $24
$1 from 1936 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1936 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1936 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$27.81
Rent$20.50
Gasoline$26.26
Medical care$58.14
New cars$8.81
Electricity$10.17
Clothing$6.51

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1936 has the same buying power as

$24.10 in August 2026

Prices rose 2,309.9% in total, an average of 3.59% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1936 worth today?
$1 in 1936 is worth $24.10 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1936?
You would need $24.10 to buy what $1 bought in 1936. That is 24.10 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1936?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1936 buys only what $0.04 of 1936 money bought. It has lost 96% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1936?
Prices rose 1.5% in 1936. Since then the average has been 3.59% a year.

Other amounts from 1936

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1936