Value of $100 from 1981 to 1988
$100 in 1981 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $143.83 in 1988, an increase of $43.83 over 7 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 5.33% per year between 1981 and 1988, producing a cumulative price increase of 43.83%.
This means that prices in 1988 are 1.44 times as high as average prices since 1981, according to Statistics Canada consumer price index.
The inflation rate in 1981 was 12.47%. The inflation rate in 1988 was 4.03%. The 1988 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 2.24% per year between 1988 and 2025.
⌃
| Cumulative price change | 43.83% |
| Average inflation rate | 5.33% |
| Converted amount $100 base | $143.83 |
| Price difference $100 base | $43.83 |
| CPI in 1981 | 49.525 |
| CPI in 1988 | 71.233 |
| Inflation in 1981 | 12.47% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.03% |
| $100 in 1981 | $143.83 in 1988 |
Buying power of $100 in 1981
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $100 in 1981 (price index tracking began in 1914).
For example, if you started with $100, you would need to end with $143.83 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $100 is equivalent to $143.83 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single Canadian dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store.
This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1981 dollars, the chart below shows how $100 is worth less over 7 years.
According to Statistics Canada, each of these CAD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
This conversion table shows various other 1981 amounts in 1988 dollars, based on the 43.83% change in prices:
| Initial value | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| $1 dollar in 1981 | $1.44 dollars in 1988 |
| $5 dollars in 1981 | $7.19 dollars in 1988 |
| $10 dollars in 1981 | $14.38 dollars in 1988 |
| $50 dollars in 1981 | $71.92 dollars in 1988 |
| $100 dollars in 1981 | $143.83 dollars in 1988 |
| $500 dollars in 1981 | $719.17 dollars in 1988 |
| $1,000 dollars in 1981 | $1,438.33 dollars in 1988 |
| $5,000 dollars in 1981 | $7,191.65 dollars in 1988 |
| $10,000 dollars in 1981 | $14,383.31 dollars in 1988 |
| $50,000 dollars in 1981 | $71,916.54 dollars in 1988 |
| $100,000 dollars in 1981 | $143,833.08 dollars in 1988 |
| $500,000 dollars in 1981 | $719,165.40 dollars in 1988 |
| $1,000,000 dollars in 1981 | $1,438,330.81 dollars in 1988 |
How to calculate inflation rate for $100, 1981 to 1988
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1981 and 1988:
CPI in 1988 CPI in 1981
×
1981 CAD value
=
1988 CAD value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The Canadian CPI was 49.525 in the year 1981 and 71.23333333 in 1988:
71.2333333349.525
×
$100
=
$143.83
$100 in 1981 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $143.83 in 1988.
To get the total inflation rate for the 7 years between 1981 and 1988, we use the following formula:
CPI in 1988 - CPI in 1981CPI in 1981
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (7 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
71.23333333 - 49.52549.525
×
100
=
44%
Data source & citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the government of Canada's annual Consumer Price Index (CPI), established in 1914 and computed by Statistics Canada (StatCan).
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “1981 dollars in 1988 | Canada Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 31 May. 2025, https://www.officialdata.org/1981-CAD-in-1988.
Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.
| Cumulative price change | 43.83% |
| Average inflation rate | 5.33% |
| Converted amount $100 base | $143.83 |
| Price difference $100 base | $43.83 |
| CPI in 1981 | 49.525 |
| CPI in 1988 | 71.233 |
| Inflation in 1981 | 12.47% |
| Inflation in 1988 | 4.03% |
| $100 in 1981 | $143.83 in 1988 |
