When converted to the value of one US dollar in 2020, goods and services that cost one dollar in 1700 would cost just over 63 dollars in 2020, this means that one dollar in 1700 was worth approximately 63 times more than it is today. This data can be used to calculate how much goods and services from the years shown would cost today, by multiplying the price from then by the number shown in the graph. For example, an item that cost 50 dollars in 1970 would theoretically cost 335.5 US dollars in 2020 (50 x 6.71 = 335.5), although it is important to remember that the prices of individual goods and services inflate at different rates than currency, therefore this graph must only be used as a guide.

Inflation in Zimbabwe rose to 10.61 percent in 2018, and is projected to jump dramatically to 577.21 percent in 2020. After that, estimates predict a slow decline for now - however, given Zimbabwe’s history of poor monetary policy, including one of the worst instances of hyperinflation, this seems unrealistic.

Inflation history

Inflation depends significantly on economic expectations of it, making it hard to reduce inflation once it has hit higher levels. This happened in Zimbabwe in the years approaching 2008, at the end of which a single U.S. dollar was worth over 2.6 trillion Zimbabwe dollars, up from 10,000 Zimbabwe dollars at the start of 2005. This all but destroyed Zimbabwe’s economy, leading to very low gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and a government struggling to finance itself.

The way ahead

In 2009, the Zimbabwean dollar had twelve zeros slashed from the banknotes. This was not enough, and after three decades of rule, former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe was removed from power at the end of 2017. Citizens of the country are trying to hold foreign banknotes; they prefer U.S. dollars or euros, but the South African rand is more common. However, the rand’s performance against other currencies has been lackluster in recent years. This underscores the struggle that the Zimbabwean people have to find a stable currency at the moment.

In 2023, the average exchange rate from U.S. dollars to Indonesian rupiah amounted to approximately 15,416, meaning that one U.S. dollar could buy 15,416 Indonesian rupiah. During the surveyed period, the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate against the U.S. dollar fluctuated and tended to depreciate. Inflation in Indonesia Indonesia's inflation rate has risen in the past few months due to rising food prices and airfares. The annual inflation rate in June 2022 was the highest in the past few years. This value finally passed Indonesia's central bank's inflation target range for that year, between two and four percent. However, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war, the inflation rate increase in Indonesia is still relatively low compared to other countries, showing a strong economy. Balance of trade in Indonesia Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Indonesia has seen growth in trade, particularly for coal, palm oil, and minerals. Coal exports were briefly prohibited at the beginning of the year to secure domestic supplies, but they quickly resumed and reached record highs in March 2022. With this rising trade and steady development, Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, is also expected to attract more foreign investment, lowering inflation and increasing the country's currency exchange rate.

The US dollar index of February 2025 was higher than it was in 2024, although below the peak in late 2022. This reveals itself in a historical graphic on the past 50 years, measuring the relative strength of the U.S. dollar. This metric is different from other FX graphics that compare the U.S. dollar against other currencies. The history of the DXY Index The index shown here – often referred to with the code DXY, or USDX – measures the value of the U.S. dollar compared to a basket of six other foreign currencies. This basket includes the euro, the Swiss franc, the Japanese yen, the Canadian dollar, the British pound, and the Swedish króna. The index was created in 1973, after the arrival of the petrodollar and the dissolution of the Bretton Woods Agreement. Today, most of these currencies remain connected to the United States' largest trade partners. The relevance of the DXY Index The index focuses on trade and the strength of the U.S. dollar against specific currencies. It less on inflation or devaluation, which is measured in alternative metrics like the Big Mac Index. Indeed, as the methodology behind the DXY Index has only been updated once – when the euro arrived in 1999 – some argue this composition is not accurate to the current state of the world. The price development of the U.S. dollar affects many things, including commodity prices in general.

In economics, the inflation rate is a measure of the change in price of a basket of goods. The most common measure being the consumer price index. It is the percentage rate of change in price level over time, and also indicates the rate of decrease in the purchasing power of money. The annual rate of inflation for 2023, was 4.1 percent higher in the United States when compared to the previous year. More information on inflation and the consumer price index can be found on our dedicated topic page. Additionally, the monthly rate of inflation in the United States can be accessed here. Inflation and purchasing power Inflation is a key economic indicator, and gives economists and consumers alike a look at changes in prices in the wider economy. For example, if an average pair of socks costs 100 dollars one year and 105 dollars the following year, the inflation rate is five percent. This means the amount of goods an individual can purchase with a unit of currency has decreased. This concept is often referred to as purchasing power. The data presents the average rate of inflation in a year, whereas the monthly measure of inflation measures the change in prices compared with prices one year ago. For example, monthly inflation in the U.S. reached a peak in June 2022 at 9.1 percent. This means that prices were 9.1 percent higher than they were in June of 2021. The purchasing power is the extent to which a person has available funds to make purchases. The Big Mac Index has been published by The Economist since 1986 and exemplifies purchasing power on a global scale, allowing us to see note the differences between different countries currencies. Switzerland for example, has the most expensive Big Mac in the world, costing consumers 6.71 U.S. dollars as of July 2022, whereas a Big Mac cost 5.15 dollars in the United States, and 4.77 dollars in the Euro area. One of the most important tools in influencing the rate of inflation is interest rates. The Federal Reserve of the United States has the capacity to make changes to the federal interest rate . Changes to the rate of inflation are thought to be an imbalance between supply and demand. After COVID-19 related lockdowns came to an end there was a sudden increase in demand for goods and services with consumers having more funds than usual thanks to reduced spending during lockdown and government funded economic support. Additionally, supply-chain related bottlenecks also due to lockdowns around the world and the Russian invasion of Ukraine meant that there was a decrease in the supply of goods and services. By increasing the interest rate, the Federal Reserve aims to reduce spending, and thus bring demand back into balance with supply.

When adjusted for inflation, the 2024 federal minimum wage in the United States is over 40 percent lower than the minimum wage in 1970. Although the real dollar minimum wage in 1970 was only 1.60 U.S. dollars, when expressed in nominal 2024 dollars this increases to 13.05 U.S. dollars. This is a significant difference from the federal minimum wage in 2024 of 7.25 U.S. dollars.

In 2022, one U.S. dollar could buy 19.16 Egyptian pounds. The official exchange rate generally increased in the observed period, with the Egyptian currency losing value gradually. Between 2016 and 2017, the currency faced a severe devaluation settling at 17.78 Egyptian pounds per dollar.

When converted to the value of one British pound Sterling in 2019, goods and services that cost one pound in 1210 would cost just over two thousand pounds in 2019, meaning that one pound in 1210 was worth approximately two thousand times more than it is today. This data can be used to calculate how much goods and services from the years shown would cost today, by multiplying the price from then by the number shown in the graph. For example, an item that cost 50 pounds in 1970 would theoretically cost 780 pounds in 2019's money.

In 2018, the estimated average inflation rate in Pakistan amounted to about 3.93 percent compared to the previous year, a slight drop from 2017, but an ever sharper one compared to four years earlier. Over the next few years, forecasts estimate it to level off at around 6.5 percent.

Pakistan‘s more or less fragile economy

Pakistan is one of the most populous countries in the worldwith a large Muslim population and a rather low urbanization rate, which means that the majority of Pakistanis live in rural areas. However, the majority of the country's GDP is generated by the services sector, which also employs most of the workforce. As of now, Pakistan’s economic growth seems stable, but that wasn’t always the case.

Stable growth ahead?

Like many others, Pakistan’s economy suffered during the 2009 financial crisis, and while it has recovered today, inflation was still over 10 percent in 2012. GDP slumped during that time as well, but now, ten years later, it has almost tripled and seems to be on an upward trend. Although its GDP generation now mainly relies on services, Pakistan still exports agricultural goods like cotton. However, the country still struggles with an increasing trade deficit and thus rising national debt – two factors that could hinder economic growth in the future.

Between 2009 and 2024, the brand value of CaixaBank increased significantly, albeit with some fluctuations. Valued lowest at one billion U.S. dollars in 2012, the Spanish bank's value surpassed five billion U.S. dollars for the first time in 2024, reaching the highest value during this period.

The wealth of high income individuals in Europe between 2009 and 2023 showed a general growing trend. In 2009 the wealth of high net worth individuals in Europe amounted to more than 9.5 trillion U.S. dollars and it grew to over 4.2 trillion U.S. dollars by the end of 2016. Overall, high-net worth individuals in Europe held approximately 18.8 trillion U.S. dollars in investable wealth in 2023.

The euro-to-dollar exchange rate fluctuated significantly in 2022, reaching its lowest recorded value since 2008 during that time. Figures were different later in the year, however, with a rate of 1.08 USD recorded at the end of March 25, 2025. The average (standardized) measure is based on the calculation of many observations throughout the period in question. It is therefore different than an annual measure at point in time, which reflects concrete values as of end of the year. EstablishmentThe euro, which was established in 1992, introduced in non-physical form in 1999 and finally rolled out in 2002, is used by 19 of the 27 member states of the European Union. This group of 19 countries is otherwise known as the eurozone or euro area. By 2018, the total value of euro currency in circulation was almost 1.2 trillion euros, or over 3.4 thousand euros per capita.Euro to USDBetween 2001 and 2008, the average annual exchange rate of the euro to the U.S. dollar noted a steep increase. In 2008, the euro to U.S. dollar annual average exchange rate was equal to 1.47, which meant that one euro could buy 1.47 U.S. dollars. By 2019, this value had decreased overall, to a value of 1.12 which meant that one euro could buy 1.12 U.S. dollars. Similar dynamics in the euro to U.S. dollar exchange rate were also reflected in the monthly exchange rate in recent years.

In 2018, China exported 88 billion U.S. dollar-worth of automotive products, accounting for nearly 3.5 percent of the total goods export value that year. China's automotive product export value increased gradually over the past years.

The net income of Becton Dickinson & Co with headquarters in the United States amounted to 1.29 billion U.S. dollars in 2013. The reported fiscal year ends on September 30.Compared to the earliest depicted value from 2009 this is a total increase by approximately 0.06 billion U.S. dollars. The trend from 2009 to 2013 shows, however, that this increase did not happen continuously.

The total value of U.S. dollars in circulation saw significant growth between 2000 and 2023, with 100-dollar bills making up the bulk of the total. By December 31, 2023, the value of 100-dollar bills in circulation surpassed 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars. In comparison, the total value of U.S. currency in circulation in 2023 was around 2.3 trillion U.S. dollars.

The USD to EUR exchange rate in 2022 roughly 30 percent higher than it was in 2012, revealing a very strong dollar against the euro. The value of 0.93 euros per dollar was noticeably higher than the 2016 peak of 0.95 euros per dollar, but still above the price before the Eurozone Crisis. This started in 2009 and was caused by difficulties of several European countries with repaying government debt.What does the exchange rate mean?At any single point in time, an exchange rate is simply a measure of the value of one currency in terms of another. However, when the exchange rate shifts, one currency gets “stronger” and the other “weaker”. This is particularly important in international trade. A strong currency makes imports cheaper, so one could expect the trade balance of a country with a strong currency to decrease. In such a way, a strong currency would hurt a country with a high trade surplus.Exchange rate investmentsThere is a financial market built around currency fluctuations. The foreign exchange market, or forex market, has a daily turnover of trillions of dollars. This market is critical for international trade, but many investors simply use it to speculate.

China is the largest wig exporter in the world. In 2018, China exported around 3.15 billion U.S. dollars worth of wigs and hair extensions, over 40 percent of which went to the United States.

This statistic shows the average amount spent per full-time equivalent (FTE) student in public community colleges in different U.S. states in 2009. The graph also distinguishes where that money is sourced from; net tuition fees or subsidies. In 2009, 14,452 U.S. dollars worth of subsidies was spent for every full-time student in a public community college in Wisconsin.

The statistic shows the annual sales value of salmon worldwide from 2009 to 2022. In 2022, the global sales value of salmon amounted to around 20.7 billion euros, up from 4.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2009.

The Chilean automotive industry exported approximately 445 million U.S. dollars worth of assembled vehicles, trailers and auto parts in 2020, down 26.5 percent from around 605 million U.S. dollars a year earlier. The export value of the automotive sector peaked in 2013 at more than 910 million U.S. dollars.