Daily Time Capsule

What Could $100 Buy You in the 1980s? Let’s Compare It to Today

Hey!

Welcome to We love the Eighties Community!

Thanks for visiting our 80s paradise. At We Love the Eighties we celebrate everything that made the 1980s unforgettable, from classic music and blockbuster movies to retro TV shows, vintage video games, pop culture icons, and bold fashion trends. Take a trip down memory lane with our Retro Rewind flashbacks, join in on nostalgic forum discussions, and share your favorite memories from the greatest decade ever. Guests can browse a few threads, but full access requires registration. Ready to relive the magic of the 80s? Sign up today and become part of our passionate eighties community.
Register Log in
Pete

Pete

Mr. Eighties
Joined
Apr 29, 2023
Messages
11,284
Reaction score
470
Credits
75
Ever wonder what $100 was really worth back in the 1980s? It turns out, it went a whole lot further than it does today.

Here’s how much $100 in each year of the 80s would be worth in today’s money (based on 2024 inflation levels):

  • In 1980, $100 had the buying power of about $380 today
  • In 1981, about $362
  • In 1982, around $347
  • In 1983, close to $337
  • In 1984, roughly $327
  • In 1985, about $319
  • In 1986, around $313
  • In 1987, close to $304
  • In 1988, about $295
  • In 1989, just over $283
So if you were handed a $100 bill in 1985, it was like being handed over $300 in today’s money. Think about that for a minute. Let it settle in nicely and then try a remember something that you bought for $100 back in the 80s.
 
In 1987, $100 was just enough for a used Nintendo Entertainment System if you shopped smart. I bought mine for exactly $89.99 from a classified ad in the back of the local paper. It came with one controller and Super Mario Bros but the buttons on the controller were a little worn. I swapped it out later with a new one for $14.95 at Kay-Bee Toys. Adjusted for inflation that NES setup cost the equivalent of around $305 today which tracks with the CPI data. People don’t realize how much value you could extract from a hundred dollar bill back then if you budgeted properly.
 
Manny said:
In 1987, $100 was just enough for a used Nintendo Entertainment System if you shopped smart. I bought mine for exactly $89.99 from a classified ad in the back of the local paper. It came with one controller and Super Mario Bros but the buttons on the controller were a little worn. I swapped it out later with a new one for $14.95 at Kay-Bee Toys. Adjusted for inflation that NES setup cost the equivalent of around $305 today which tracks with the CPI data. People don’t realize how much value you could extract from a hundred dollar bill back then if you budgeted properly.
Click to expand...

First of all welcome back Manny. How have you been. Second that was pretty creative of you and yes the dollar had real power then unlike now.
 
That’s so crazy. I remember pooling $100 with my sister in 1984 to buy a little stereo setup at Sears. We spent the summer taping songs off the radio and making our own mixtapes. That stereo was our gateway to the world.
 
I used $100 from my birthday and part time job to buy a boom box at RadioShack. I remember thinking wow I just spent all that money that took me forever to save on it. I think it cost like 50 or 60 dollars. I had been eyeing it for weeks and when I finally had enough I went straight there after school. It had dual cassette decks and a big chrome handle. I waited by the radio to hit the record to when a good song came on. I think we all did that. It was play and record at the same time.
 
Those are some great memories. I remember thinking to myself whenever I saw my dad pay for something with a 100 dollar bill that he must be rich lol.
 
It’s a different world we’re living in now. Pretty soon bills will be gone and it’ll be about digital currency.
 
Back
Top