$1,000 in 1996 is worth $2,134.99 today

$1,000 in 1996 has the same buying power as

$2,134.99 in August 2026

That is 113% more, an average inflation rate of 2.55% a year over 30 years.

Put the other way, $1,000 today buys what $468.39 bought in 1996. Cash kept under the mattress since 1996 has lost 53% of its value.

$1,000 from nearby years

$1,000 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1991$2,459.474.2%
1992$2,387.603.0%
1993$2,318.203.0%
1994$2,260.322.6%
1995$2,198.032.8%
1996$2,134.993.0%
1997$2,087.102.3%
1998$2,055.091.6%
1999$2,010.682.2%
2000$1,945.303.4%
2001$1,891.472.8%

How $1,000 from 1996 grew

$0.00$500$1000$1500$2000$25002000200520102015202020252026.625: $2135
$1,000 from 1996 in each later year's dollars

$1,000 of 1996 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $1,000 spent on each of these in 1996 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$2,285.83
Rent$2,771.59
Gasoline$3,396.96
Medical care$2,598.61
New cars$1,250.63
College tuition$3,529.44
Electricity$2,352.48
Clothing$1,038.36

Try a different amount or date

$1,000.00 in 1996 has the same buying power as

$2,134.99 in August 2026

Prices rose 113.5% in total, an average of 2.55% a year.

Questions

How much is $1,000 in 1996 worth today?
$1,000 in 1996 is worth $2,134.99 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $1,000 in 1996?
You would need $2,134.99 to buy what $1,000 bought in 1996. That is 2.13 times as much.
How much buying power has $1,000 lost since 1996?
Kept as cash, $1,000 from 1996 buys only what $468.39 of 1996 money bought. It has lost 53% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1996?
Prices rose 3.0% in 1996. Since then the average has been 2.55% a year.

Other amounts from 1996

$1,000 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1996