How is the answer worked out?

Each round takes a documented historical price and multiplies it by today's Consumer Price Index divided by the CPI of the price's year · the standard way economists convert old money into today's money. The game shows you the multiplier.

Are the old prices real?

Yes · they are widely-cited average US prices for their year (a loaf of bread, a movie ticket, a gallon of gas, a new car, and so on), and the CPI figures come from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why is a 1950 dollar worth so much more now?

Because prices have risen almost every year since, and the increases compound. The US CPI has multiplied roughly thirteen-fold since 1950, so a 1950 dollar buys about what thirteen dollars buy today.

Is this in US dollars?

Yes · the prices and the CPI are American, so the figures are in US dollars. The underlying idea · that inflation makes old money worth more in today's terms · is the same everywhere.

Does it work offline?

Yes. PlayMemorize is a Progressive Web App, so Inflation keeps working without a connection once the page has loaded.

Inflation · العربية

Guess what real historical prices are worth in today's money, computed from the US CPI. JavaScript required.

Enable JavaScript to play.