Carbonated drinks priced at $20 in 1988 $43.30 in 2024

Carbonated Drinks Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Carbonated Drinks, 1988-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for carbonated drinks are 116.48% higher in 2024 versus 1988 (a $23.30 difference in value).

Between 1988 and 2024: Carbonated drinks experienced an average inflation rate of 2.17% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, carbonated drinks costing $20 in the year 1988 would cost $43.30 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.74% during this same period, inflation for carbonated drinks was lower.

In the year 1988: Pricing changed by -0.01%, which is below the average yearly change for carbonated drinks during the 1988-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1988 (4.08%), inflation for carbonated drinks was much lower.

Price Inflation for Carbonated drinks since 1978

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (12%), 2022 (10.61%), and 1981 (10.02%).

View price changes for other categories
Electricity · Gasoline (all types) · Phoenix, Arizona · Seattle, Washington · More

Buying power of $20.00 since 1988

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Carbonated drinks, over time, for $20 beginning in 1988. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1988$20.00-0.01%
1989$20.512.57%
1990$21.213.40%
1991$21.380.81%
1992$21.741.67%
1993$21.920.84%
1994$21.89-0.13%
1995$22.613.28%
1996$22.690.32%
1997$22.38-1.37%
1998$22.22-0.68%
1999$22.471.13%
2000$23.343.87%
2001$23.731.63%
2002$23.760.15%
2003$23.760.00% **
2004$24.201.83%
2005$24.963.14%
2006$25.391.74%
2007$26.514.42%
2008$27.814.87%
2009$29.154.84%
2010$29.260.39%
2011$30.042.64%
2012$30.451.39%
2013$30.18-0.89%
2014$30.05-0.44%
2015$30.200.51%
2016$30.480.90%
2017$30.580.34%
2018$30.961.26%
2019$32.073.57%
2020$33.855.56%
2021$35.173.89%
2022$38.9010.61%
2023$41.927.76%
2024$43.303.29%*

* 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 Carbonated drinks:

Year19781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI70.84677.33186.60895.28597.862100.269101.846102.838103.615105.715105.708108.423112.108113.015114.908115.869115.723119.523119.900118.262117.462118.785123.385125.400125.585125.585127.885131.900134.200140.138146.970154.082154.676158.760160.959159.528158.832159.645161.075161.619163.661169.500178.916185.875205.595221.557228.836

Adjust carbonated drinks prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1988 * 1988 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Carbonated drinks was 105.708 in the year 1988 and 228.836 in 2024:

228.836 / 105.708 * $20 = $43.30

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1988 has the same "purchasing power" as $43.30 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Carbonated drinks).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Carbonated drinks in 1978. In addition to carbonated drinks, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

» Read more about inflation and investment.