$500 in 1999 is worth $1,005.34 today

$500 in 1999 has the same buying power as

$1,005.34 in August 2026

That is 101% more, an average inflation rate of 2.61% a year over 27 years.

Put the other way, $500 today buys what $248.67 bought in 1999. Cash kept under the mattress since 1999 has lost 50% of its value.

$500 from nearby years

$500 inWorth in August 2026Inflation that year
1994$1,130.162.6%
1995$1,099.022.8%
1996$1,067.503.0%
1997$1,043.552.3%
1998$1,027.551.6%
1999$1,005.342.2%
2000$972.653.4%
2001$945.742.8%
2002$931.021.6%
2003$910.272.3%
2004$886.662.7%

How $500 from 1999 grew

$0.00$200$400$600$800$1000$12002000200520102015202020252026.625: $1005
$500 from 1999 in each later year's dollars

$500 of 1999 spending, by category

Not everything rose at the same pace. What $500 spent on each of these in 1999 costs today:

CategoryCost in August 2026
Food$1,067.70
Rent$1,264.78
Gasoline$1,796.89
Medical care$1,183.17
New cars$628.81
College tuition$1,549.32
Electricity$1,225.52
Clothing$520.76

Try a different amount or date

$500.00 in 1999 has the same buying power as

$1,005.34 in August 2026

Prices rose 101.1% in total, an average of 2.61% a year.

Questions

How much is $500 in 1999 worth today?
$500 in 1999 is worth $1,005.34 in August 2026 dollars, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
How much would I need today to match $500 in 1999?
You would need $1,005.34 to buy what $500 bought in 1999. That is 2.01 times as much.
How much buying power has $500 lost since 1999?
Kept as cash, $500 from 1999 buys only what $248.67 of 1999 money bought. It has lost 50% of its buying power.
What was inflation in 1999?
Prices rose 2.2% in 1999. Since then the average has been 2.61% a year.

Other amounts from 1999

$500 in other decades

Everything about inflation in 1999