Canadian dollars · 1978
What is $100 from 1978 worth today?
$100 in 1978 had the same buying power as $448.63 in 2025, a 348.6% rise in prices (3.25% a year). At September 2026 prices it is $464.48.
Annual average CPI · 2002=100
1978 in numbers
$100 from 1978, in 2025 dollars
$448.63
+348.6% since 1978
$100 from 1978, at September 2026 prices
$464.48
Latest monthly CPI 170.0
Inflation in 1978
+8.9%
15th highest of 111 years
CPI in 1978
36.6
1970s average: 7.3% a year
1978 dollars in 2025 dollars
| In 1978 | In 2025 |
|---|---|
| $1 | $4.49 |
| $10 | $44.86 |
| $100 | $448.63 |
| $1,000 | $4,486 |
| $10,000 | $44,863 |
| $50,000 | $224,317 |
$100 from 1978, year by year
What changed in price during 1978
Change in each annual average index from 1977 to 1978.
| All-items CPI | +8.9% |
| Food | +15.4% |
| Clothing and footwear | +4.0% |
| Transportation | +5.8% |
| Health and personal care | +7.2% |
| Recreation, education and reading | +4.1% |
| Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis | +8.4% |
| Groceries (food purchased from stores) | +17.4% |
| Rent | +5.2% |
| Electricity | +8.1% |
| Gasoline | +5.9% |
Source: Statistics Canada, table 18-10-0005-01 (annual average CPI, 1914 to 2025). Retrieved October 30, 2026. “Today” uses the 2025 annual average, the latest full year. The September 2026 figure compares a single month with 1978’s annual average.
Straight answers
1978 dollars, answered
How much is $100 from 1978 worth today?
$448.63 in 2025 dollars, using Statistics Canada’s annual average CPI: 100 × 164.2 ÷ 36.6. Against the latest monthly index (September 2026, 170.0) it is $464.48.
What was the inflation rate in Canada in 1978?
The annual average CPI rose 8.9% in 1978, from 33.6 in 1977 to 36.6. That ranks 15th highest of the 111 years from 1915 to 2025.
How much was $100 of 2025 money worth in 1978?
$22.29. Prices in 1978 were 77.7% lower than in 2025, so $22.29 then bought what $100 bought in 2025.
