Value of $1 from 1975 to 1989
$1 in 1975 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $3.34 in 1989, an increase of $2.34 over 14 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 9.00% per year between 1975 and 1989, producing a cumulative price increase of 234.38%.
This means that prices in 1989 are 3.34 times as high as average prices since 1975, according to the Bureau of Statistics consumer price index.
The inflation rate in 1975 was 15.11%. The inflation rate in 1989 was 7.43%. The 1989 inflation rate is higher compared to the average inflation rate of 2.69% per year between 1989 and 2025.
⌃
| Cumulative price change | 234.38% |
| Average inflation rate | 9.00% |
| Converted amount $1 base | $3.34 |
| Price difference $1 base | $2.34 |
| CPI in 1975 | 16.000 |
| CPI in 1989 | 53.500 |
| Inflation in 1975 | 15.11% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 7.43% |
| $1 in 1975 | $3.34 in 1989 |
Buying power of $1 in 1975
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $1 in 1975 (price index tracking began in 1922).
For example, if you started with $1, you would need to end with $3.34 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $1 is equivalent to $3.34 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single Australian dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store.
This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1975 dollars, the chart below shows how $1 is worth less over 14 years.
According to the Bureau of Statistics, each of these AUD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
This conversion table shows various other 1975 amounts in 1989 dollars, based on the 234.38% change in prices:
| Initial value | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| $1 dollar in 1975 | $3.34 dollars in 1989 |
| $5 dollars in 1975 | $16.72 dollars in 1989 |
| $10 dollars in 1975 | $33.44 dollars in 1989 |
| $50 dollars in 1975 | $167.19 dollars in 1989 |
| $100 dollars in 1975 | $334.38 dollars in 1989 |
| $500 dollars in 1975 | $1,671.88 dollars in 1989 |
| $1,000 dollars in 1975 | $3,343.75 dollars in 1989 |
| $5,000 dollars in 1975 | $16,718.75 dollars in 1989 |
| $10,000 dollars in 1975 | $33,437.50 dollars in 1989 |
| $50,000 dollars in 1975 | $167,187.50 dollars in 1989 |
| $100,000 dollars in 1975 | $334,375.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $500,000 dollars in 1975 | $1,671,875.00 dollars in 1989 |
| $1,000,000 dollars in 1975 | $3,343,750.00 dollars in 1989 |
How to calculate inflation rate for $1, 1975 to 1989
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1975 and 1989:
CPI in 1989 CPI in 1975
×
1975 AUD value
=
1989 AUD value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The Australian CPI was 16 in the year 1975 and 53.5 in 1989:
53.516
×
$1
=
$3.34
$1 in 1975 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $3.34 in 1989.
To get the total inflation rate for the 14 years between 1975 and 1989, we use the following formula:
CPI in 1989 - CPI in 1975CPI in 1975
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (14 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
53.5 - 1616
×
100
=
234%
Data source & citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the government of Australia's annual (CPI) as provided by the Reserve Bank of Australia. The consumer price index was established in 1922 and is tracked by Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$1 in 1975 → 1989 | Australia Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 13 Mar. 2025, https://www.officialdata.org/australia/inflation/1975?amount=1&endYear=1989.
Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.
in2013dollars.com is a reference website maintained by the Official Data Foundation.
| Cumulative price change | 234.38% |
| Average inflation rate | 9.00% |
| Converted amount $1 base | $3.34 |
| Price difference $1 base | $2.34 |
| CPI in 1975 | 16.000 |
| CPI in 1989 | 53.500 |
| Inflation in 1975 | 15.11% |
| Inflation in 1989 | 7.43% |
| $1 in 1975 | $3.34 in 1989 |
