According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for roasted coffee are 2,721.84% higher in 2024 versus 1939 (a $544.37 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2024: Roasted coffee experienced an average inflation rate of 4.01% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, roasted coffee costing $20 in the year 1939 would cost $564.37 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.73% during this same period, inflation for roasted coffee was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Roasted coffee, over time, for $20 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $20.00 | - |
| 1940 | $19.05 | -4.77% |
| 1941 | $21.20 | 11.32% |
| 1942 | $25.51 | 20.33% |
| 1943 | $25.90 | 1.52% |
| 1944 | $25.72 | -0.68% |
| 1945 | $25.85 | 0.48% |
| 1946 | $29.19 | 12.92% |
| 1947 | $39.68 | 35.96% |
| 1948 | $43.48 | 9.57% |
| 1949 | $46.84 | 7.72% |
| 1950 | $67.14 | 43.34% |
| 1951 | $73.29 | 9.16% |
| 1952 | $73.30 | 0.02% |
| 1953 | $75.16 | 2.53% |
| 1954 | $93.27 | 24.09% |
| 1955 | $78.27 | -16.08% |
| 1956 | $83.20 | 6.30% |
| 1957 | $81.25 | -2.34% |
| 1958 | $72.05 | -11.33% |
| 1959 | $60.51 | -16.01% |
| 1960 | $59.22 | -2.13% |
| 1961 | $58.18 | -1.76% |
| 1962 | $56.17 | -3.46% |
| 1963 | $55.14 | -1.82% |
| 1964 | $66.10 | 19.87% |
| 1965 | $67.53 | 2.17% |
| 1966 | $66.34 | -1.75% |
| 1967 | $62.97 | -5.09% |
| 1968 | $62.17 | -1.26% |
| 1969 | $62.35 | 0.28% |
| 1970 | $74.93 | 20.18% |
| 1971 | $76.73 | 2.41% |
| 1972 | $75.19 | -2.00% |
| 1973 | $85.04 | 13.09% |
| 1974 | $101.08 | 18.87% |
| 1975 | $108.94 | 7.78% |
| 1976 | $153.39 | 40.80% |
| 1977 | $284.19 | 85.27% |
| 1978 | $257.69 | -9.33% |
| 1979 | $242.79 | -5.78% |
| 1980 | $268.57 | 10.62% |
| 1981 | $222.56 | -17.13% |
| 1982 | $229.06 | 2.92% |
| 1983 | $225.90 | -1.38% |
| 1984 | $234.05 | 3.61% |
| 1985 | $237.92 | 1.65% |
| 1986 | $311.48 | 30.92% |
| 1987 | $261.13 | -16.17% |
| 1988 | $259.49 | -0.63% |
| 1989 | $277.40 | 6.90% |
| 1990 | $268.50 | -3.21% |
| 1991 | $261.29 | -2.68% |
| 1992 | $249.70 | -4.44% |
| 1993 | $247.16 | -1.02% |
| 1994 | $328.25 | 32.81% |
| 1995 | $385.27 | 17.37% |
| 1996 | $343.50 | -10.84% |
| 1997 | $404.98 | 17.90% |
| 1998 | $392.83 | -3.00% |
| 1999 | $362.90 | -7.62% |
| 2000 | $368.18 | 1.46% |
| 2001 | $342.00 | -7.11% |
| 2002 | $327.90 | -4.12% |
| 2003 | $335.00 | 2.17% |
| 2004 | $336.38 | 0.41% |
| 2005 | $380.35 | 13.07% |
| 2006 | $388.71 | 2.20% |
| 2007 | $412.75 | 6.18% |
| 2008 | $441.68 | 7.01% |
| 2009 | $439.01 | -0.61% |
| 2010 | $442.13 | 0.71% |
| 2011 | $514.43 | 16.35% |
| 2012 | $522.79 | 1.62% |
| 2013 | $488.14 | -6.63% |
| 2014 | $477.56 | -2.17% |
| 2015 | $492.51 | 3.13% |
| 2016 | $477.96 | -2.95% |
| 2017 | $477.40 | -0.12% |
| 2018 | $467.33 | -2.11% |
| 2019 | $461.63 | -1.22% |
| 2020 | $465.02 | 0.73% |
| 2021 | $479.35 | 3.08% |
| 2022 | $551.92 | 15.14% |
| 2023 | $573.27 | 3.87% |
| 2024 | $564.37 | -1.55%* |
* 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 Roasted coffee:
| Year | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| CPI | 8.708 | 8.292 | 9.231 | 11.108 | 11.277 | 11.200 | 11.254 | 12.708 | 17.277 | 18.931 | 20.392 | 29.231 | 31.908 | 31.915 | 32.723 | 40.608 | 34.077 | 36.223 | 35.377 | 31.369 | 26.346 | 25.785 | 25.331 | 24.454 | 24.008 | 28.777 | 29.400 | 28.885 | 27.415 | 27.069 | 27.146 | 32.623 | 33.408 | 32.738 | 37.023 | 44.008 | 47.431 | 66.785 | 123.731 | 112.192 | 105.708 | 116.931 | 96.900 | 99.731 | 98.354 | 101.900 | 103.585 | 135.615 | 113.692 | 112.977 | 120.777 | 116.900 | 113.762 | 108.715 | 107.608 | 142.915 | 167.738 | 149.554 | 176.323 | 171.030 | 158.000 | 160.300 | 148.900 | 142.762 | 145.854 | 146.454 | 165.600 | 169.238 | 179.704 | 192.302 | 191.137 | 192.496 | 223.977 | 227.613 | 212.528 | 207.924 | 214.430 | 208.098 | 207.853 | 203.468 | 200.988 | 202.462 | 208.700 | 240.298 | 249.594 | 245.717 |