Cell service priced at $50 in 1997 $23.57 in 2024

Cell Service Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Cell Service, 1997-2024 ($50)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for wireless telephone services are 52.87% lower in 2024 versus 1997 (a $26.43 difference in value).

Between 1997 and 2024: Cell service experienced an average inflation rate of -2.75% per year. This rate of change indicates significant deflation. In other words, cell service costing $50 in the year 1997 would cost $23.57 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.46% during this same period, inflation for cell service was significantly lower.

Price Inflation for Wireless telephone services since 1997

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1999 (-10.71%), 2017 (-10.68%), and 2000 (-10.54%).

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Buying power of $50.00 since 1997

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Cell service, over time, for $50 beginning in 1997. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1997$50.00-
1998$47.56-4.88%
1999$42.47-10.71%
2000$37.99-10.54%
2001$34.07-10.34%
2002$33.69-1.11%
2003$33.41-0.82%
2004$33.11-0.91%
2005$32.49-1.87%
2006$32.28-0.65%
2007$32.19-0.26%
2008$32.12-0.22%
2009$32.130.03%
2010$31.20-2.90%
2011$30.07-3.60%
2012$29.84-0.78%
2013$29.31-1.78%
2014$28.69-2.11%
2015$27.61-3.77%
2016$27.34-0.97%
2017$24.42-10.68%
2018$23.80-2.55%
2019$23.20-2.53%
2020$23.662.02%
2021$24.081.75%
2022$23.97-0.45%
2023$23.89-0.32%
2024$23.57-1.37%*

* 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 Wireless telephone services:

Year1997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI100.00095.12384.93875.98568.13167.37766.82366.21564.97764.55464.38364.24064.25762.39560.14759.67858.61757.37855.21654.67948.84047.59646.39347.32948.15647.93747.78547.130

Adjust cell service prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1997 * 1997 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Wireless telephone services was 100.000 in the year 1997 and 47.130 in 2024:

47.130 / 100.000 * $50 = $23.57

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $50 in 1997 has the same "purchasing power" as $23.57 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Wireless telephone services).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Wireless telephone services in 1997. In addition to cell service, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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