Canadian dollars · 1981
What is $100 from 1981 worth today?
$100 in 1981 had the same buying power as $331.72 in 2025, a 231.7% rise in prices (2.76% a year). At September 2026 prices it is $343.43.
Annual average CPI · 2002=100
1981 in numbers
$100 from 1981, in 2025 dollars
$331.72
+231.7% since 1981
$100 from 1981, at September 2026 prices
$343.43
Latest monthly CPI 170.0
Inflation in 1981
+12.5%
5th highest of 111 years
CPI in 1981
49.5
1980s average: 6.5% a year
1981 dollars in 2025 dollars
| In 1981 | In 2025 |
|---|---|
| $1 | $3.32 |
| $10 | $33.17 |
| $100 | $331.72 |
| $1,000 | $3,317 |
| $10,000 | $33,172 |
| $50,000 | $165,859 |
$100 from 1981, year by year
What changed in price during 1981
Change in each annual average index from 1980 to 1981.
| All-items CPI | +12.5% |
| Food | +11.5% |
| Shelter | +13.4% |
| Household operations, furnishings and equipment | +10.6% |
| Clothing and footwear | +7.1% |
| Transportation | +18.3% |
| Health and personal care | +10.9% |
| Recreation, education and reading | +10.0% |
| Alcohol, tobacco and cannabis | +13.0% |
| Groceries (food purchased from stores) | +12.0% |
| Rent | +6.4% |
| Electricity | +8.7% |
| Gasoline | +36.1% |
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 1981’s annual average.
Straight answers
1981 dollars, answered
How much is $100 from 1981 worth today?
$331.72 in 2025 dollars, using Statistics Canada’s annual average CPI: 100 × 164.2 ÷ 49.5. Against the latest monthly index (September 2026, 170.0) it is $343.43.
What was the inflation rate in Canada in 1981?
The annual average CPI rose 12.5% in 1981, from 44.0 in 1980 to 49.5. That ranks 5th highest of the 111 years from 1915 to 2025.
How much was $100 of 2025 money worth in 1981?
$30.15. Prices in 1981 were 69.9% lower than in 2025, so $30.15 then bought what $100 bought in 2025.
