$5 in 1996 is worth $10.67 today

$5 in 1996 has the same buying power as

$10.67 in August 2026

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

Put the other way, $5 today buys what $2.34 bought in 1996. Cash kept under the mattress since 1996 has lost 53% of its value.

$5 from nearby years

$5 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1991$12.304.2%
1992$11.943.0%
1993$11.593.0%
1994$11.302.6%
1995$10.992.8%
1996$10.673.0%
1997$10.442.3%
1998$10.281.6%
1999$10.052.2%
2000$9.733.4%
2001$9.462.8%

How $5 from 1996 grew

$0.00$2.00$4.00$6.00$8.00$10$122000200520102015202020252026.625: $11
$5 from 1996 in each later year's dollars

$5 of 1996 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $5 spent on each of these in 1996 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$11.43
Rent$13.86
Gasoline$16.98
Medical care$12.99
New cars$6.25
College tuition$17.65
Electricity$11.76
Clothing$5.19

Try a different amount or date

$5.00 in 1996 has the same buying power as

$10.67 in August 2026

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

Questions

How much is $5 in 1996 worth today?
$5 in 1996 is worth $10.67 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $5 in 1996?
You would need $10.67 to buy what $5 bought in 1996. That is 2.13 times as much.
How much buying power has $5 lost since 1996?
Kept as cash, $5 from 1996 buys only what $2.34 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

$5 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1996