Inflation Calculator \u2013 See the Future Cost of Money
Use this free inflation calculator to estimate how much prices could rise over time. Enter today's amount, an annual inflation rate and how many years into the future you want to look. The tool shows the inflated future cost and the extra amount you may need to keep the same purchasing power.
Inflation Calculator
Estimate how rising prices affect the future cost of today's money. Enter today's amount, an annual inflation rate and the number of years to see the inflated future cost.
How the inflation calculator formula works
The calculator assumes prices increase at a steady annual inflation rate and uses the same compound growth logic as many finance formulas. If a basket of goods costs P today and inflation is i% per year, after t years the projected cost is:
Future cost = P × (1 + i)t
- P is today's price or amount.
- i is annual inflation as a decimal (e.g. 0.06 for 6%).
- t is the number of years in the future.
The total inflation increase is simply future cost minus today's amount. In reality, inflation varies from year to year, but this constant-rate model gives a quick planning estimate.
Planning with inflation: why this calculator helps
Inflation slowly erodes the purchasing power of money: what costs a certain amount today may cost much more in 10 or 20 years. When you plan for long-term goals like education, retirement or a major purchase, it is not enough to look at today's prices. This calculator lets you project those prices into the future at different inflation rates so you can set more realistic targets.
For example, if a goal costs 10 lakh today and inflation averages 6% per year, the future cost after 15 years could be much higher. By running scenarios with lower and higher inflation, you can see a range of possible future costs and decide how much of a buffer to build. You can then pair this with investment tools—such as the compound interest calculator or SIP calculator—to check whether your savings plan is likely to keep up with or beat inflation.
Remember that no one can predict inflation perfectly. Government statistics often report a headline rate, but your personal inflation may be higher or lower depending on what you spend on. Treat the results as planning numbers, not guarantees, and review them periodically as actual inflation and your goals change over time.