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.

In January 2025, prices had increased by three percent compared to January 2024 according to the 12-month percentage change in the consumer price index — the monthly inflation rate for goods and services in the United States. The data represents U.S. city averages. In economics, the inflation rate is a measure of the change in price level over time. The rate of decrease in the purchasing power of money is approximately equal. A projection of the annual U.S. inflation rate can be accessed here and the actual annual inflation rate since 1990 can be accessed here. InflationOne of the most important economic indicators is the development of the Consumer Price Index in a country. The change in this price level of goods and services is defined as the rate of inflation. The inflationary situation in the United States had been relatively severe in 2022 due to global events relating to COVID-19, supply chain restrains, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. More information on U.S. inflation may be found on our dedicated topic page. The annual inflation rate in the United States has increased from 3.2 percent in 2011 to 8.3 percent in 2022. This means that the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar has weakened in recent years. The purchasing power is the extent to which a person has available funds to make purchases. According to the data published by the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) was about 258.84 in 2020 and is forecasted to grow up to 325.6 by 2027, compared to the base period from 1982 to 1984. The monthly percentage change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for urban consumers in the United States was 0.1 percent in March 2023 compared to the previous month. In 2022, countries all around the world are experienced high levels of inflation. Although Brazil already had an inflation rate of 8.3 percent in 2021, compared to the previous year, while the inflation rate in China stood at 0.85 percent.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Purchasing Power of the Consumer Dollar in U.S. City Average (CUUR0000SA0R) from Jan 1913 to Jun 2025 about urban, consumer, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

In March 2025, inflation amounted to 2.4 percent, while wages grew by 4.3 percent. The inflation rate has not exceeded the rate of wage growth since January 2023. Inflation in 2022 The high rates of inflation in 2022 meant that the real terms value of American wages took a hit. Many Americans report feelings of concern over the economy and a worsening of their financial situation. The inflation situation in the United States is one that was experienced globally in 2022, mainly due to COVID-19 related supply chain constraints and disruption due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The monthly inflation rate for the U.S. reached a 40-year high in June 2022 at 9.1 percent, and annual inflation for 2022 reached eight percent. Without appropriate wage increases, Americans will continue to see a decline in their purchasing power. Wages in the U.S. Despite the level of wage growth reaching 6.7 percent in the summer of 2022, it has not been enough to curb the impact of even higher inflation rates. The federally mandated minimum wage in the United States has not increased since 2009, meaning that individuals working minimum wage jobs have taken a real terms pay cut for the last twelve years. There are discrepancies between states - the minimum wage in California can be as high as 15.50 U.S. dollars per hour, while a business in Oklahoma may be as low as two U.S. dollars per hour. However, even the higher wage rates in states like California and Washington may be lacking - one analysis found that if minimum wage had kept up with productivity, the minimum hourly wage in the U.S. should have been 22.88 dollars per hour in 2021. Additionally, the impact of decreased purchasing power due to inflation will impact different parts of society in different ways with stark contrast in average wages due to both gender and race.

The rate at which prices for goods and services are generally rising and, as a result, currency's purchasing power is declining is known as inflation. Central banks attempt to limit inflation—and avoid deflation—in order to keep the economy running smoothly. Each unit of currency may purchase fewer products and services as prices rise. This results in a reduction in the actual value of money, a process that impacts every level of the economy, from consumers to governments. The percentage change in the cost of a basket of goods and services over a certain time period, often a year, is measured by the inflation rate. It’s a key metric for assessing the health of an economy, showing how much more expensive everyday goods and services have become. The change in the average price level of a basket of goods and services over a year is represented by the inflation rate average consumer prices (annual per cent change). It’s calculated by taking the average of prices across all months of a given year compared to the previous year. This metric is determined by averaging monthly price data and comparing it to the average of the previous year. It provides a broader view of inflation trends across a longer time frame, smoothing out any short-term volatility. The Inflation rate, end of period consumer prices (annual per cent change) reflects the price level change from the end of one period (typically December) to the end of the next period (the following December). Instead of taking an average, this rate focuses on the price level at a specific point in time, providing a snapshot of inflation. It’s calculated by comparing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the final month of the year with the CPI of the last month of the previous year.

Purchasing power parity of Iceland rose by 3.36% from 143.9 LCU per international dollars in 2023 to 148.7 LCU per international dollars in 2024. Since the 2.94% decline in 2022, purchasing power parity leapt by 7.44% in 2024. Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP.

Purchasing power parity of Estonia rose by 1.09% from 0.6 LCU per international dollars in 2023 to 0.6 LCU per international dollars in 2024. Since the 2.55% decline in 2020, purchasing power parity soared by 16.86% in 2024. Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP.

Purchasing power parity of Ireland rose by 1.24% from 0.8 LCU per international dollars in 2023 to 0.8 LCU per international dollars in 2024. Since the 2.35% decline in 2022, purchasing power parity leapt by 6.07% in 2024. Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP.

The inflation rate in the United States is expected to decrease to 2.1 percent by 2029. 2022 saw a year of exceptionally high inflation, reaching eight percent for the year. The data represents U.S. city averages. The base period was 1982-84. In economics, the inflation rate is a measurement of inflation, the rate of increase of a price index (in this case: consumer price index). It is the percentage rate of change in prices level over time. The rate of decrease in the purchasing power of money is approximately equal. According to the forecast, prices will increase by 2.9 percent in 2024. The annual inflation rate for previous years can be found here and the consumer price index for all urban consumers here. The monthly inflation rate for the United States can also be accessed here. Inflation in the U.S.Inflation is a term used to describe a general rise in the price of goods and services in an economy over a given period of time. Inflation in the United States is calculated using the consumer price index (CPI). The consumer price index is a measure of change in the price level of a preselected market basket of consumer goods and services purchased by households. This forecast of U.S. inflation was prepared by the International Monetary Fund. They project that inflation will stay higher than average throughout 2023, followed by a decrease to around roughly two percent annual rise in the general level of prices until 2028. Considering the annual inflation rate in the United States in 2021, a two percent inflation rate is a very moderate projection. The 2022 spike in inflation in the United States and worldwide is due to a variety of factors that have put constraints on various aspects of the economy. These factors include COVID-19 pandemic spending and supply-chain constraints, disruptions due to the war in Ukraine, and pandemic related changes in the labor force. Although the moderate inflation of prices between two and three percent is considered normal in a modern economy, countries’ central banks try to prevent severe inflation and deflation to keep the growth of prices to a minimum. Severe inflation is considered dangerous to a country’s economy because it can rapidly diminish the population’s purchasing power and thus damage the GDP .

Expressed in averages for the year, not end-of-period data. A consumer price index (CPI) measures changes in the prices of goods and services that households consume. Such changes affect the real purchasing power of consumers? incomes and their welfare. As the prices of different goods and services do not all change at the same rate, a price index can only reflect their average movement. A price index is typically assigned a value of unity, or 100, in some reference period and the values of the index for other periods of time are intended to indicate the average proportionate, or percentage, change in prices from this price reference period. Price indices can also be used to measure differences in price levels between different cities, regions or countries at the same point in time. [CPI Manual 2004, Introduction] For euro countries, consumer prices are calculated based on harmonized prices. For more information see http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_OFFPUB/KS-BE-04-001/EN/KS-BE-04-001-EN.PDF.

Purchasing power parity of Tajikistan rose by 4.06% from 2.6 LCU per international dollars in 2023 to 2.7 LCU per international dollars in 2024. Since the 1.77% decline in 2020, purchasing power parity leapt by 13.68% in 2024. Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP.

In 2014, after a few years of sharp decline, the purchasing power in France reached *** percent. In 2013, the purchasing power in France experienced its strongest decline since 2007. With a decrease of ** percent compared to the previous year, French purchasing power reached a level lower than the one attained in 2008 during the economic crisis. It had never been so low, even in 2020 with the economic crisis due to COVID-19. The decline of French purchasing power Purchasing power, which is the quantity of goods and services that an income can buy, is linked with the inflation rate and the disposable income of households. In France, the inflation rate peaked in 2008 with *** percent. After a decline from 2011 to 2015, the inflation rate has been increasing between 2015 and 2018 in France, reaching *** percent in 2018. It amounted to *** percent in 2023. This had a strong impact on the purchasing power of French households since the average annual household disposable income in France remained stable since 2005. An important issue in the French public debate The purchasing power has always been a sensitive topic within French public debate. In 2019, during the Great National Debate launched after the Yellow Vests movement, the purchasing power was mentioned as the priority issue that should be addressed during the debate. Most of the French public perceived the economic policy pursued by Emmanuel Macron and his Prime Minister, as having a negative impact on their purchasing power.

Inflation can cause costly misallocations of resources as consumers seek to protect the purchasing power of their nominal assets. This research deals with the nature of these distortions, known as "shoe-leather costs," in a model where the demand for money is motivated by a shopping-time constraint. While the estimates of the shoe-leather costs of long-run inflation (implied by this model) are generally consistent with previous studies, the research shows that the transition between inflation rates can involve dynamics that alter the nature of these welfare effects. Specifically, the benefits of a disinflation policy are mitigated by the gradual adjustment of the economy in response to a lower inflation rate. This transition can be particularly protracted when there is uncertainty about the credibility of the disinflation policy.

In 2024, the consumer price index (CPI) was 315.61. Data represents U.S. city averages. The monthly inflation rate for the United States can be found here. United States urban Consumer Price Index (CPI) The U.S. Consumer Price Index is a measure of change in the price of consumer goods and services purchased by households. The CPI is defined by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics as "a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services." To calculate the CPI, the Bureau of Labor Statistics considers the price of goods and services from various categories: housing, transportation, apparel, food & beverage, medical care, recreation, education and other/uncategorized. The CPI is a useful measure, as it indicates how the cost of urban living in the United States has changed over time, compared to a base period. CPI is also used to calculate inflation, or change in the purchasing power of money. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. urban CPI has been rising steadily since 1992. As of 2023, the CPI was 304.7, up from 233 ten years earlier and up from 184 twenty years earlier. This indicates the extent to which, compared to a base period 1982-1984 = 100, the price of various goods and services has risen.

The global wave of inflation that began in early 2022 has negatively impacted consumers' purchasing power. It also had an effect on the wallets of consumers in the United States. In early March 2022, about a quarter of Americans said they would be putting off everyday purchases, such as meat and alcohol due to the rising cost of such goods.

Purchasing power parity of Namibia rose by 2.72% from 6.7 LCU per international dollars in 2022 to 6.9 LCU per international dollars in 2023. Since the 1.60% decline in 2021, purchasing power parity went up by 2.06% in 2023. Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure that examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services, such as transportation, food, and medical care. It is calculated by taking price changes for each item in the predetermined basket and averaging them. Prices are collected periodically, and the CPI is often used to measure inflation, reflecting the cost of living. The CPI is typically set against a base year. The index is set to 100 in the base year, and changes in the CPI indicate price changes compared to that year. A typical household might purchase a wide range of products and services. Items in the basket are weighted according to their importance or share in total household spending. The Inflation Rate is the percentage increase in the general level of prices for goods and services over a period of time. It indicates how much prices have risen over a specific period, typically a year. Higher inflation decreases the purchasing power of money, meaning consumers can buy less with the same amount of money.It reflects the overall health of an economy. Moderate inflation is expected in a growing economy, but hyperinflation can indicate economic instability. The Inflation Rate is calculated using the following formula: Inflation Rate (%) = ((CPI in Current Year−CPI in Previous Year)/ (CPI in Previous Year))×100

Purchasing power parity of Japan rose by 0.44% from 95.3 LCU per international dollars in 2023 to 95.7 LCU per international dollars in 2024. Since the 4.73% decline in 2022, purchasing power parity went up by 1.25% in 2024. Purchasing power parity conversion factor is the number of units of a country's currency required to buy the same amounts of goods and services in the domestic market as U.S. dollar would buy in the United States. This conversion factor is for GDP.

Inflation rates experienced by different groups of consumers within a country vary. This is because the prices of goods and services and the expenditure patterns of consumers differ. The published inflation rate is used for important decisions regarding the preservation of consumer purchasing power. These include the adjustment of social grants and minimum wages by government and the benchmarking of returns by investors when making investment decisions. It is thus vital that inflation is measured accurately to ensure the purchasing power of consumers is preserved. Current measures of inflation published by Stats SA are applicable to typical consumers and are not relevant to each individual. This resource supplements a study that seeks to provide a publicly available model that can be used by consumers to calculate their personal rate of inflation.

Consumer price indexes (CPIs) are index numbers that measure changes in the prices of goods and services purchased or otherwise acquired by households, which households use directly, or indirectly, to satisfy their own needs and wants. In practice, most CPIs are calculated as weighted averages of the percentage price changes for a specified set, or ‘‘basket’’, of consumer products, the weights reflecting their relative importance in household consumption in some period. CPIs are widely used to index pensions and social security benefits. CPIs are also used to index other payments, such as interest payments or rents, or the prices of bonds. CPIs are also commonly used as a proxy for the general rate of inflation, even though they measure only consumer inflation. They are used by some governments or central banks to set inflation targets for purposes of monetary policy. The price data collected for CPI purposes can also be used to compile other indices, such as the price indices used to deflate household consumption expenditures in national accounts, or the purchasing power parities used to compare real levels of consumption in different countries.

In an effort to further coordinate and harmonize the collection of CPI data, the international organizations agreed that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) would assume responsibility for the international collection and dissemination of national CPI data. Under this data collection initiative, countries are reporting the aggregate all items index; more detailed indexes and weights for 12 subgroups of consumption expenditure (according to the so-called COICOP-classification), and detailed metadata. These detailed data represent a valuable resource for data users throughout the world and this portal would not be possible without the ongoing cooperation of all reporting countries. In this effort, the OECD collects and validates the data for their member countries, including accession and key partner countries, whereas the IMF takes care of the collection of data for all other countries.