$100 in 1973 is worth $754.46 today

$100 in 1973 has the same buying power as

$754.46 in August 2026

That is 654% more, an average inflation rate of 3.88% a year over 53 years.

Put the other way, $100 today buys what $13.25 bought in 1973. Cash kept under the mattress since 1973 has lost 87% of its value.

$100 from nearby years

$100 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1968$962.594.2%
1969$912.755.5%
1970$863.355.7%
1971$827.114.4%
1972$801.393.2%
1973$754.466.2%
1974$679.4711.0%
1975$622.649.1%
1976$588.725.8%
1977$552.776.5%
1978$513.777.6%

How $100 from 1973 grew

$0.00$200$400$600$800198019902000201020202026.625: $754
$100 from 1973 in each later year's dollars

$100 of 1973 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $100 spent on each of these in 1973 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$727.01
Rent$855.23
Gasoline$1,153.01
Medical care$1,528.36
New cars$327.95
Electricity$829.03
Clothing$211.69

Try a different amount or date

$100.00 in 1973 has the same buying power as

$754.46 in August 2026

Prices rose 654.5% in total, an average of 3.88% a year.

Questions

How much is $100 in 1973 worth today?
$100 in 1973 is worth $754.46 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $100 in 1973?
You would need $754.46 to buy what $100 bought in 1973. That is 7.54 times as much.
How much buying power has $100 lost since 1973?
Kept as cash, $100 from 1973 buys only what $13.25 of 1973 money bought. It has lost 87% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1973?
Prices rose 6.2% in 1973. Since then the average has been 3.88% a year.

Other amounts from 1973

$100 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1973