Original data report
The 2026 Retirement Purchasing Power Report
$100,000 held as cash since August 2000 buys about $51,686 of goods and services today. Consumer prices rose 93.5% over that period, and faster still in the categories retirees spend most on.
Key findings
- 1
$100,000 held as cash since August 2000 buys about $51,686 of goods and services at August 2026 prices — consumer prices rose 93.5% over the period.
- 2
Prices rose 28.9% in the six years since August 2020, an annualized pace of 4.32% — well above the 2.57% annual pace measured since 2000.
- 3
Medical care (+126.0%) and shelter (+121.7%) rose faster than overall prices (+93.5%) since August 2000 — two categories that often weigh heavily in retiree budgets.
- 4
Electricity prices rose 43.0% since August 2020, compared with 28.9% for overall consumer prices.
- 5
Over the 12 months to August 2026, headline consumer prices rose 3.4% and gasoline rose 27.4%.
What $100,000 in cash buys today
Each bar shows the August 2026 purchasing power of $100,000 left as uninvested cash since August of the year shown, measured by headline CPI-U. It ignores interest, returns and taxes, so it isolates the effect of rising prices alone.
Price increases by spending category
Cumulative change in the CPI-U index for each category, from August of the start year to August 2026.
Chart: cumulative price change, August 2000 to August 2026.
| Category | Since 2000 | Since 2010 | Since 2020 | Last 12 mo. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All items (headline CPI) | +93.5% | +53.3% | +28.9% | +3.4% |
| Medical care | +126.0% | +52.4% | +13.4% | +1.6% |
| Shelter | +121.7% | +73.2% | +31.7% | +3.0% |
| Food | +107.7% | +59.6% | +30.2% | +2.6% |
| Electricity | +137.1% | +57.4% | +43.0% | +3.8% |
| Gasoline | +173.3% | +48.3% | +83.3% | +27.4% |
$100,000 measured against each category
| Category | Held since 2000 | Held since 2010 | Held since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items (headline CPI) | $51,686 | $65,221 | $77,609 |
| Medical care | $44,255 | $65,616 | $88,192 |
| Shelter | $45,116 | $57,744 | $75,956 |
| Food | $48,157 | $62,653 | $76,777 |
| Electricity | $42,168 | $63,538 | $69,954 |
| Gasoline | $36,591 | $67,409 | $54,560 |
Reads as: $100,000 of cash held since August 2000 now buys as much medical care as about $44,255 bought in August 2000.
What the data means for retirement savers
Headline inflation is an average across every household. Retirees tend to spend a larger share of their budget on housing and health care, and in this data both categories rose faster than overall prices since 2000. A personal inflation rate can therefore run above the headline number.
The pace also changes over time. Since 2020, prices have risen at an annualized 4.32%, compared with 2.57% measured across the full period since 2000. A plan built on a single long-run average may understate the effect of shorter periods of faster price growth.
These figures describe the past. They do not forecast future inflation, and they measure cash only, not the returns of any investment.
See what inflation means for your own balance
The free audit applies these CPI figures to your savings and timeline.
Methodology & sources
- Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), seasonally adjusted, retrieved from FRED.
- Comparison points: August of each start year against August 2026 (latest available reading), so every figure compares the same month.
- Purchasing power of $100,000 = $100,000 × (index in start month ÷ index in August 2026).
- Annualized rate = compound annual growth of the index between the two readings.
- Figures are rounded; BLS data may be revised after publication.
Use this data
Journalists, bloggers and educators may quote or chart these figures freely with attribution and a link to this page.
Citation
Metals Retirement Audit. "The 2026 Retirement Purchasing Power Report." September 2026. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U via FRED, through August 2026. https://metalsretirementaudit.com/retirement-purchasing-power-report-2026
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About this guide
Published and maintained by Metals Retirement Audit · Last reviewed September 2026
Metals Retirement Audit publishes educational reference material on precious-metals retirement accounts for U.S. savers. Guides are written and maintained under the organization’s name rather than attributed to an individual, and they are reviewed on a recurring schedule so the rules, limits, and figures they cite stay current.
Sourced from primary documents
Rules and figures are drawn from IRS publications, the U.S. Code, and federal regulators such as the SEC, CFTC, and FINRA — cited on each page so you can check them yourself.
Reviewed and dated
Every guide carries a visible review date. Tax figures and contribution limits are re-checked against the current year’s official guidance when that date changes.
Corrections welcome
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This report is educational and general in nature. It describes historical price data and is not investment, tax, or legal advice. Past inflation does not predict future inflation.
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