Instant coffee priced at $20 in 1961 $151.37 in 2024

Instant Coffee Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Instant Coffee, 1961-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for instant coffee are 656.86% higher in 2024 versus 1961 (a $131.37 difference in value).

Between 1961 and 2024: Instant coffee experienced an average inflation rate of 3.26% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, instant coffee costing $20 in the year 1961 would cost $151.37 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.80% during this same period, inflation for instant coffee was lower.

Price Inflation for Instant coffee since 1961

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1977 (51.17%), 1976 (27.65%), and 1986 (21.02%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1961

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Instant coffee, over time, for $20 beginning in 1961. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1961$20.00-
1962$19.50-2.49%
1963$19.831.66%
1964$23.0516.26%
1965$20.60-10.63%
1966$19.74-4.17%
1967$19.52-1.13%
1968$19.851.68%
1969$20.824.92%
1970$23.3312.02%
1971$24.334.32%
1972$24.22-0.48%
1973$25.655.93%
1974$30.7920.01%
1975$34.7512.88%
1976$44.3627.65%
1977$67.0651.17%
1978$70.585.24%
1979$67.58-4.24%
1980$73.408.61%
1981$65.81-10.33%
1982$67.071.90%
1983$68.422.02%
1984$71.324.24%
1985$73.953.69%
1986$89.5021.02%
1987$83.09-7.16%
1988$81.15-2.34%
1989$81.590.55%
1990$81.26-0.41%
1991$80.70-0.69%
1992$79.01-2.10%
1993$78.56-0.57%
1994$92.7318.05%
1995$105.2113.45%
1996$101.70-3.33%
1997$105.984.21%
1998$106.290.28%
1999$110.544.01%
2000$110.40-0.13%
2001$112.241.67%
2002$112.950.63%
2003$113.360.37%
2004$114.521.02%
2005$121.466.07%
2006$123.321.53%
2007$130.385.72%
2008$141.108.22%
2009$138.47-1.86%
2010$137.20-0.92%
2011$145.716.20%
2012$147.771.41%
2013$143.18-3.11%
2014$141.46-1.20%
2015$140.31-0.82%
2016$136.00-3.07%
2017$136.000.00%
2018$129.61-4.70%
2019$130.300.53%
2020$128.47-1.40%
2021$130.041.22%
2022$144.1010.82%
2023$150.564.48%
2024$151.370.54%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Instant coffee:

Year1961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI29.01428.29228.76233.43829.88528.63828.31528.79230.20833.83835.30035.13137.21544.66250.41564.35497.285102.38598.038106.47795.47797.29299.262103.469107.285129.838120.546117.723118.369117.885117.077114.615113.962134.531152.623147.538153.754154.190160.367160.154162.831163.854164.454166.131176.208178.908189.145204.694200.884199.038211.388214.372207.707205.218203.545197.301197.304188.031189.023186.379188.645209.055218.413219.598

Adjust instant coffee prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1961 * 1961 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Instant coffee was 29.014 in the year 1961 and 219.598 in 2024:

219.598 / 29.014 * $20 = $151.37

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1961 has the same "purchasing power" as $151.37 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Instant coffee).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Instant coffee in 1961. In addition to instant coffee, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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