Inflation & buying power
What is 2018 dollars worth today?
$1 in 2018 has the same buying power as about $1.33 today (May 2026). Cumulative inflation since 2018 is about 33%, or roughly 3.7% per year over 8 years.
What 2018 money is worth today
| In 2018 | Worth today (May 2026) |
|---|---|
| $10.00 | $13.35 |
| $100.00 | $133.46 |
| $1,000 | $1,335 |
| $10,000 | $13,346 |
| $100,000 | $133,458 |
Based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-U). A 2018 dollar is worth about $1.33 now.
What this means
A dollar in 2018 — during the 2010s — stretched a lot further than it does now. To match that same buying power today you'd need about $1.33, because everyday prices have climbed about 33% in the 8 years since.
Put another way, today's dollar buys what about $0.75 bought in 2018.
The inflation behind the number
- Total inflation since 2018: about 33%.
- Average annual inflation: about 3.7% per year.
- Time span: 8 years (2018 → 2026).
- Source: CPI-U (CPIAUCNS), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via FRED.
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 2018 worth today?
$1 in 2018 has the same buying power as about $1.33 in May 2026, because prices have risen roughly 33% since then (an average of about 3.7% a year).
How much has inflation been since 2018?
Cumulative inflation from 2018 to May 2026 is about 33%. In other words, something that cost $100 in 2018 costs about $133.46 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.