How Much Did It Cost In The Past?

Here’s a rule-of-thumb guide to the buying power of the U.S. dollar by year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ CPI Inflation Calculator. For example, something costing US $14.00 in 2024 would be priced at about 52 cents in the year 1928 (a common setting year for Call of Cthulhu games). This rule tends to break down into the 19th century; refer to a good “Old West” RPG for better comparisons.

YEAR VALUE MULTIPLIER
2024 $1.00 1
2023 0.97 0.966183575
2022 0.93 0.9335107
2021 0.90 0.901942706
2020 0.87 0.871442228
2019 0.84 0.841973167
2018 0.81 0.813500644
2017 0.79 0.785990961
2016 0.76 0.759411556
2015 0.73 0.733730972
2014 0.71 0.708918814
2013 0.68 0.684945714
2012 0.66 0.661783298
2011 0.64 0.639404153
2010 0.62 0.61778179
2009 0.60 0.596890619
2008 0.58 0.576705912
2007 0.56 0.557203779
2006 0.54 0.53836114
2005 0.52 0.52015569
2004 0.50 0.502565884
2003 0.49 0.485570903
2002 0.47 0.469150631
2001 0.45 0.453285634
2000 0.44 0.437957134
1999 0.42 0.423146989
1998 0.41 0.408837671
1997 0.40 0.395012242
1996 0.38 0.38165434
1995 0.37 0.368748155
1994 0.36 0.356278411
1993 0.34 0.344230348
1992 0.33 0.332589709
1991 0.32 0.321342714
1990 0.31 0.310476052
1989 0.30 0.299976862
1988 0.29 0.289832717
1987 0.28 0.28003161
1986 0.27 0.270561942
1985 0.26 0.261412505
1984 0.25 0.252572468
1983 0.24 0.24403137
1982 0.24 0.235779102
1981 0.23 0.227805895
1980 0.22 0.220102314
1979 0.21 0.212659241
1978 0.21 0.205467866
1977 0.20 0.198519677
1976 0.19 0.191806451
1975 0.19 0.185320243
1974 0.18 0.179053375
1973 0.17 0.172998429
1972 0.17 0.167148241
1971 0.16 0.161495885
1970 0.16 0.156034672
1969 0.15 0.150758137
1968 0.15 0.145660036
1967 0.14 0.140734334
1966 0.14 0.135975202
1965 0.13 0.131377007
1964 0.13 0.126934306
1963 0.12 0.122641841
1962 0.12 0.118494533
1961 0.11 0.114487471
1960 0.11 0.110615914
1959 0.11 0.106875279
1958 0.10 0.10326114
1957 0.10 0.099769217
1956 0.10 0.096395379
1955 0.09 0.093135632
1954 0.09 0.089986118
1953 0.09 0.086943109
1952 0.08 0.084003004
1951 0.08 0.081162322
1950 0.08 0.078417703
1949 0.08 0.075765896
1948 0.07 0.073203765
1947 0.07 0.070728275
1946 0.07 0.068336498
1945 0.07 0.066025601
1944 0.06 0.063792852
1943 0.06 0.061635605
1942 0.06 0.05955131
1941 0.06 0.057537497
1940 0.06 0.055591785
1939 0.05 0.053711869
1938 0.05 0.051895526
1937 0.05 0.050140605
1936 0.05 0.048445029
1935 0.05 0.046806791
1934 0.05 0.045223953
1933 0.04 0.04369464
1932 0.04 0.042217044
1931 0.04 0.040789414
1930 0.04 0.039410062
1929 0.04 0.038077355
1928 0.04 0.036789715
1927 0.04 0.035545618
1926 0.03 0.034343592
1925 0.03 0.033182215
1924 0.03 0.032060111
1923 0.03 0.030975953
1922 0.03 0.029928457
1921 0.03 0.028916383
1920 0.03 0.027938534
1919 0.03 0.026993753
1918 0.03 0.026080921
1917 0.03 0.025198957
1916 0.02 0.024346819
1915 0.02 0.023523496
1914 0.02 0.022728016
1913 0.02 0.021959436
1912 0.02 0.021216846
1911 0.02 0.020499368
1910 0.02 0.019806153
1909 0.02 0.019136379
1908 0.02 0.018489256
1907 0.02 0.017864015
1906 0.02 0.017259918
1905 0.02 0.016676249
1904 0.02 0.016112318
1903 0.02 0.015567457
1902 0.02 0.015041021
1901 0.01 0.014532388
1900 0.01 0.014040954
1899 0.01 0.013566139
1898 0.01 0.013107381
1897 0.01 0.012664136
1896 0.01 0.01223588
1895 0.01 0.011822107
1894 0.01 0.011422325
1893 0.01 0.011036063
1892 0.01 0.010662863
1891 0.01 0.010302283
1890 0.01 0.009953897
1889 0.01 0.009617291
1888 0.01 0.009292069
1887 0.01 0.008977844
1886 0.01 0.008674246
1885 0.01 0.008380914
1884 0.01 0.008097501
1883 0.01 0.007823673
1882 0.01 0.007559104
1881 0.01 0.007303482
1880 0.01 0.007056505
1879 0.01 0.006817879
1878 0.01 0.006587323
1877 0.01 0.006364563
1876 0.01 0.006149336
1875 0.01 0.005941388
1874 0.01 0.005740471
1873 0.01 0.005546349
1872 0.01 0.005358791
1871 0.01 0.005177576
1870 0.01 0.005002489