Inflation & buying power
What is 2006 dollars worth today?
$1 in 2006 has the same buying power as about $1.66 today (May 2026). Cumulative inflation since 2006 is about 66%, or roughly 2.6% per year over 20 years.
What 2006 money is worth today
| In 2006 | Worth today (May 2026) |
|---|---|
| $10.00 | $16.62 |
| $100.00 | $166.24 |
| $1,000 | $1,662 |
| $10,000 | $16,624 |
| $100,000 | $166,238 |
Based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). A 2006 dollar is worth about $1.66 now.
What this means
A dollar in 2006 — during the 2000s — stretched a lot further than it does now. To match that same buying power today you'd need about $1.66, because everyday prices have climbed about 66% in the 20 years since.
Put another way, today's dollar buys what about $0.60 bought in 2006.
The inflation behind the number
- Total inflation since 2006: about 66%.
- Average annual inflation: about 2.6% per year.
- Time span: 20 years (2006 → 2026).
- Source: CPI-U (CPIAUCNS), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 2006 worth today?
$1 in 2006 has the same buying power as about $1.66 in May 2026, because prices have risen roughly 66% since then (an average of about 2.6% a year).
How much has inflation been since 2006?
Cumulative inflation from 2006 to May 2026 is about 66%. In other words, something that cost $100 in 2006 costs about $166.24 now.
Where does this data come from?
It uses the U.S. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U, series CPIAUCNS) published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED, using annual-average CPI for past years and the latest monthly value for today.