$1 in 1983 is worth $3.36 today

$1 in 1983 has the same buying power as

$3.36 in August 2026

That is 236% more, an average inflation rate of 2.85% a year over 43 years.

Put the other way, $1 today buys what $0.30 bought in 1983. Cash kept under the mattress since 1983 has lost 70% of its value.

$1 from nearby years

$1 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1978$5.147.6%
1979$4.6111.3%
1980$4.0713.5%
1981$3.6910.3%
1982$3.476.2%
1983$3.363.2%
1984$3.224.3%
1985$3.113.6%
1986$3.061.9%
1987$2.953.6%
1988$2.834.1%

How $1 from 1983 grew

$0.00$0.50$1.00$1.50$2.00$2.50$3.00$3.5019902000201020202026.625: $3.36
$1 from 1983 in each later year's dollars

$1 of 1983 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1 spent on each of these in 1983 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$3.53
Rent$4.49
Gasoline$3.62
Medical care$5.89
New cars$1.80
College tuition$9.91
Electricity$3.14
Clothing$1.36

Try a different amount or date

$1.00 in 1983 has the same buying power as

$3.36 in August 2026

Prices rose 236.3% in total, an average of 2.85% a year.

Questions

How much is $1 in 1983 worth today?
$1 in 1983 is worth $3.36 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1 in 1983?
You would need $3.36 to buy what $1 bought in 1983. That is 3.36 times as much.
How much buying power has $1 lost since 1983?
Kept as cash, $1 from 1983 buys only what $0.30 of 1983 money bought. It has lost 70% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1983?
Prices rose 3.2% in 1983. Since then the average has been 2.85% a year.

Other amounts from 1983

$1 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1983