Calculators

Inflation Calculator

See what something that costs a given amount today will cost in future years, and how much buying power your money loses to inflation.

Why inflation matters

Inflation is the rise in prices over time. At 6% a year, something that costs ₹1 lakh today costs about ₹1.79 lakh in 10 years. Money kept in cash or in an account paying less than inflation slowly buys less and less.

What you can do with the Inflation Calculator

Future cost: What today's prices become.
Value lost: How much your money buys then.
Doubling time: When prices double at your rate.

Planning with it

Use the future cost for goals like a child's education, a wedding or a house. If a college course costs ₹10 lakh today and fees rise by 8% a year, plan for about ₹21.6 lakh in 10 years.

Picking a rate

Many people use 6% for general prices in India. Education and medical costs often rise faster, so planners commonly use 8% to 10% for those. Try a few rates to see the range.

Real return

What your investments earn above inflation is your real return. An FD paying 7% when inflation is 6% grows your buying power by only about 1% a year, before tax.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What inflation rate should I use?

6% is a common planning figure for India. Use a higher rate such as 8% to 10% for education or healthcare goals, and change it to whatever you expect.

What does "your money will only buy" mean?

It is your amount in today's money. At 6% for 10 years, ₹1 lakh then buys about what ₹55,800 buys today.

Is this the official inflation figure?

No. It projects prices at a steady rate you choose. Official consumer price inflation is published by the government and changes every month.

How do I calculate the future cost of something?

Multiply today's price by (1 + inflation rate) raised to the number of years. At 6% for 10 years, ₹1,00,000 × 1.06^10 = about ₹1,79,085.

How much will ₹1 lakh be worth in 20 years?

At 6% inflation, ₹1 lakh in 20 years will buy about what ₹31,000 buys today, and something that costs ₹1 lakh now will cost about ₹3.21 lakh.

How long do prices take to double?

Divide 72 by the inflation rate for a quick estimate. At 6% prices double in about 12 years, and at 8% in about 9 years.

What inflation rate should I use for education?

Education costs in India have often risen faster than general prices, so many planners use 8% to 10% a year for school and college fees. Check recent fee rises at the places you have in mind.

How do I beat inflation?

Your money needs to earn more than inflation after tax. Over long periods, equity mutual funds have usually done this, while savings accounts and many FDs earn close to or below inflation after tax. Returns are never guaranteed.

What is real return?

Real return is what you earn above inflation. It is roughly your return minus inflation, or more exactly (1 + return) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1.

Does this work for other currencies?

Yes. The maths is the same for any currency. Only the ₹ sign is shown.

Read the guide

SIP vs Lumpsum: Which Builds More Wealth?

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Inflation Calculator

Why inflation matters

What you can do with the Inflation Calculator

Planning with it

Picking a rate

Real return

Related tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Read the guide

Related tools

All 115 tools

Calculators 44

Converters 17

Text Tools 21

Generators 14

Image Tools 12

Productivity 7

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Inflation Calculator

Why inflation matters

What you can do with the Inflation Calculator

Planning with it

Picking a rate

Real return

Related tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Read the guide

Related tools

All 115 tools

Calculators 44

Converters 17

Text Tools 21

Generators 14

Image Tools 12

Productivity 7

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