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Purchasing Power

What Is $1,500 Worth Today vs. the Past?

$1,500 in April 2026 is equivalent to about $1,445 from a year ago. Inflation has added $55 to this amount over the past year.

Data: BLS CPI-U All Items · Latest: April 2026

1 Year Ago (April 2025)

$1,445

was equivalent to $1,500 today

+3.8% cumulative inflation

2 Years Ago (April 2024)

$1,412

was equivalent to $1,500 today

+6.2% cumulative inflation

3 Years Ago (April 2023)

$1,366

was equivalent to $1,500 today

+9.8% cumulative inflation

What This Means in Plain Terms

If you spent $1,500 on something today — rent, groceries, a car payment, household expenses — you would have only needed to spend $1,445 on the same goods and services a year ago. The difference is inflation — prices have risen across the board.

Looking back three years to April 2023, $1,500 today had the same buying power as just $1,366. That means $134 of every $1,500 you spend today goes purely toward higher prices compared to three years ago.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Period Equivalent Cost Then Today's Cost Added by Inflation
1 Year Ago (April 2025) $1,445 $1,500 +$55
2 Years Ago (April 2024) $1,412 $1,500 +$88
3 Years Ago (April 2023) $1,366 $1,500 +$134

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Related Dollar Amounts

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U · bls.gov · Price Inflation Report