Inflation calculatorBy yearPricesThen vs. now

$1,000 in 1973 is worth how much today?

$7,588.74 in Sep 2026 dollars

$1,000 in 1973 had the same purchasing power as $7,588.74 in Sep 2026. Prices are 7.59× higher, so a dollar from 1973 buys what about $7.59 buys today. Put the other way, $1,000 held as cash since 1973 has lost about 87% of its buying power. Inflation in 1973 was 6.2%. 1973 is remembered for the first oil shock. Over the following decade, prices rose 117%.

BLS average item prices start around 1980, so item-by-item comparisons aren't available for 1973. Browse item price histories for later years.

$0$1,903$3,807$5,710$7,614197319791985199119972003200920152021

To earn the same today

Someone earning $1,000 a month in 1973 would need about $7,588.74 a month in Sep 2026 to keep the same standard of living, based on CPI-U.

Other amounts: $100 · $10,000 · full 1973 inflation table
Nearby years: 1965 · 1969 · 1970 · 1974 · 1975 · 1979 · 1980 · 1982

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index (series CUUR0000SA0), via the BLS Public Data API. Data retrieved 2026-10-21. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.