$100 in 1981 is worth $297.99 in 2021

2.98× price rise

Average US inflation: 2.77% a year over 40 years. Prices first doubled by 2003. Highest year: 1982 (6.2%). Lowest: 2009 (-0.3%).

Converter

1981in 20212021 amount in 1981 money
$1$2.98$0.34
$10$29.80$3.36
$100$297.99$33.56
$1,000$2,979.91$335.58
$10,000$29,799.13$3,355.80
$100,000$297,991.29$33,558.03

Year by year (value of $100 from 1981)

YearValueInflation
1981$100.00
1982$106.166.2%
1983$109.513.2%
1984$114.304.4%
1985$118.333.5%
1986$120.631.9%
1987$124.953.6%
1988$130.074.1%
1989$136.304.8%
1990$143.695.4%
1991$149.744.2%
1992$154.303.0%
1993$158.883.0%
1994$163.002.6%
1995$167.582.8%
1996$172.502.9%
1997$176.532.3%
1998$179.261.5%
1999$183.192.2%
2000$189.363.4%
2001$194.692.8%
2002$197.801.6%
2003$202.352.3%
2004$207.742.7%
2005$214.743.4%
2006$221.663.2%
2007$228.022.9%
2008$236.723.8%
2009$235.96-0.3%
2010$239.821.6%
2011$247.353.1%
2012$252.482.1%
2013$256.181.5%
2014$260.321.6%
2015$260.630.1%
2016$263.941.3%
2017$269.562.1%
2018$276.142.4%
2019$281.141.8%
2020$284.671.3%
2021$297.994.7%

1981–2020 · 1981–2022 · All years

See how your portfolio survived 2008. Inflation is one risk; crashes and the rupee are the others. Stress-test your India + US mix free, or get the full crisis PDF report with BacktestCard Pro, $9 one-time. Educational only.
Want to chart these assets yourself? TradingView has free charts. Open TradingView
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission if you subscribe, at no extra cost to you. Educational only, not investment advice.

How much is $100 from 1981 worth in 2021?

$100 in 1981 had about the same buying power as $297.99 in 2021, based on US consumer price index data.

What was the average inflation rate in US from 1981 to 2021?

About 2.77% per year, compounding to a 198.0% total rise in prices over 40 years.

Which year between 1981 and 2021 had the highest inflation?

1982 saw the largest annual rise in the index (6.2%); the lowest was 2009 (-0.3%).


Historical statistics for education only. Not investment advice. US CPI: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U (public domain), annual averages; 2026 = Sep 2026 index. India CPI: World Bank WDI FP.CPI.TOTL (source IMF IFS), licensed CC BY 4.0. INR/USD: Federal Reserve Board H.10. Sources & method · Embed this calculator · BacktestCard