Purchasing Power
What Is $500 Worth Today vs. the Past?
$500 in April 2026 is equivalent to about $482 from a year ago. Inflation has added $18 to this amount over the past year.
Data: BLS CPI-U All Items | Latest: April 2026
1 Year Ago (April 2025)
$482
was equivalent to $500 today
+3.8% cumulative inflation
2 Years Ago (April 2024)
$471
was equivalent to $500 today
+6.2% cumulative inflation
3 Years Ago (April 2023)
$455
was equivalent to $500 today
+9.8% cumulative inflation
What This Means in Plain Terms
If you spent $500 on something today — rent, groceries, a car payment, household expenses — you would have only needed to spend $482 on the same goods and services a year ago. The difference is inflation — prices have risen across the board.
Looking back three years to April 2023, $500 today had the same buying power as just $455. That means $45 of every $500 you spend today goes purely toward higher prices compared to three years ago.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Period | Equivalent Cost Then | Today's Cost | Added by Inflation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Year Ago (April 2025) | $482 | $500 | +$18 |
| 2 Years Ago (April 2024) | $471 | $500 | +$29 |
| 3 Years Ago (April 2023) | $455 | $500 | +$45 |
Enter Any Amount
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Data Source
Inflation calculations use the CPI-U All Items index from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Cumulative inflation figures compare the latest available monthly index value against values from 12, 24, and 36 months prior. Data is updated monthly upon BLS release. bls.gov | Money & Prices