Inflation calculatorBy yearPricesThen vs. now

$1,000 in 1945 is worth how much today?

$18,727.56 in Sep 2026 dollars

$1,000 in 1945 had the same purchasing power as $18,727.56 in Sep 2026. Prices are 18.73× higher, so a dollar from 1945 buys what about $18.73 buys today. Put the other way, $1,000 held as cash since 1945 has lost about 95% of its buying power. Inflation in 1945 was 2.3%. 1945 is remembered for the end of World War II. Over the following decade, prices rose 49%.

BLS average item prices start around 1980, so item-by-item comparisons aren't available for 1945. Browse item price histories for later years.

$0$4,697$9,394$14,092$18,789194519551965197519851995200520152025

To earn the same today

Someone earning $1,000 a month in 1945 would need about $18,727.56 a month in Sep 2026 to keep the same standard of living, based on CPI-U.

Other amounts: $100 · $10,000 · full 1945 inflation table
Nearby years: 1935 · 1940 · 1950 · 1955

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.