What is my personal inflation rate?
It is the price change of your own spending, not the average household's. On the example budget below, prices rose 24.9% from August 2021 to August 2026, against 22.4% for the headline CPI. The same basket that cost $2,763 a month then costs $3,450 now.
Enter your monthly spending at today's prices. Leave a row at 0 if it does not apply.
Based on past national averages for the categories you entered. Not a prediction and not advice.
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Worked example
- Monthly spending at today's prices: groceries $500, eating out $250, rent $1,500, electricity $150, gasoline $200, car insurance $150, medical care $250, clothing $100, recreation $150, phone/internet/education $200. Total $3,450.
- Each category's price change comes from BLS CPI-U, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, August 2021 to August 2026. Car insurance rose the most (+49.8%), phone/internet/education the least (+5.1%).
- Cost then = each category's spending divided by its price change, added up: $2,763. Personal rate = $3,450 / $2,763 - 1 = +24.9%. That is 2.4 points above the headline +22.4%, so about $8,247 more a year.
- Only the categories you enter count. Taxes, savings and debt payments are not included. National averages may differ from prices where you live. The budget is made up.
How this is calculated
For each category, price change = CPI in August 2026 divided by CPI in the August you picked. What your basket cost then = what you spend now divided by that change, added up across categories. Personal rate = cost now divided by cost then, minus 1. The headline figure is the all-items CPI-U over the same months.
Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, CPI-U, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, August of each year, retrieved from the BLS public data API on October 3, 2026. Series: all items CUUR0000SA0; groceries CUUR0000SAF11; eating out CUUR0000SEFV; rent CUUR0000SEHA; electricity CUUR0000SEHF01; gasoline CUUR0000SETB01; car insurance CUUR0000SETE; medical care CUUR0000SAM; clothing CUUR0000SAA; recreation CUUR0000SAR; education and communication CUUR0000SAE.
Common questions
What is a personal inflation rate?
It is the price change of your own spending, instead of the average household. Each category's price change is weighted by how much of your budget goes to it. Someone who spends mostly on rent and gas will have a different rate than someone who spends mostly on groceries.
Why is my rate different from the headline CPI?
The headline Consumer Price Index uses the average US household's spending mix. Your mix is not average, so categories that rose faster or slower count for more or less in your budget.
Where does the data come from?
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, August of each year through August 2026, for each category. Category series IDs are listed under the tool.
Does this include everything I spend?
No. It covers ten big categories. Anything you leave out is ignored, so your rate describes only the spending you enter. Taxes, savings and debt payments are not included.
Is this financial advice?
No. It is an educational calculator based on past national averages. Prices where you live may have moved differently, and past prices do not predict future ones.