A familiar amount from the 1980s
See what $100 from a high-inflation decade would be worth today.
Example: C$100 in 1980What would an old Canadian dollar amount be worth today?
Enter a year and amount in Canadian dollars to estimate its value at 2025 prices. The main result stays in Canadian dollars; a recent exchange rate is used only for the optional comparisons below.
Calculator
Price comparisons use annual data through 2025. Only optional currency conversions use a recent exchange rate.
What currency was it in?
Display currency
What would it be worth in each year?
An estimate based on prices in each yearCAD CAD
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View in other currencies
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—What was that money worth in today’s Canadian dollars?
Enter a Canadian-dollar amount and year to see roughly what it would be worth today. It is not an exchange rate, investment return, house-price index or estimate of your personal inflation rate.- 01
Choose the year and dollar amount
Enter a year from 1960 onward and the Canadian-dollar amount from a receipt, pay record, ad, savings note or family document.
- 02
See the amount in today’s dollars
The calculator compares everyday Canadian prices then with prices today and gives you an easy-to-read estimate.
- 03
Match the result to the question
Use CPI to put the amount into today’s money, then consult wages, provincial prices, shelter measures or asset data when those are the real subject.
Four Canadian comparisons that need clear boundaries
A 1980 shopping budget, a paycheque, a regional cost and a house price can all move differently from the national CPI.Paycheques and weekly earnings
Compare past earnings with prices without treating an average wage figure as one person’s take-home pay.
Example: C$500 a week in 1990Provincial cost differences
Start with Canada-wide CPI, then use provincial CPI when the original amount and today’s comparison belong to a particular province.
Example: a 2000 grocery bill in OntarioSavings, homes and other assets
See what a past cash amount would be worth today while keeping interest, investment returns and resale-home prices separate.
Example: C$10,000 saved in 1985Canadian dollar field guides
Three Canadian guides cover $100 in 1980, paycheques versus inflation, and what the 2% inflation target really means.1980s PRICESWhat was $100 in 1980 worth today?Use CPI, then distinguish general prices from homes and products.→PAY AND PRICESPaycheque then and nowSee whether earnings rose faster than consumer prices.→2% TARGETCanada’s inflation target since 1991Why a stable inflation rate still raises the price level.→
See all Canada guidesCheck the CPI, pay and policy context
Statistics Canada publishes price and earnings figures; the Bank of Canada provides an official calculator and explains its inflation target.Inflation CalculatorBank of Canada calculator using monthly CPI data from 1914 through its newest published month.↗Consumer Price Index tableStatistics Canada monthly and annual CPI data, including geographic and component detail.↗Average weekly earningsStatistics Canada payroll earnings by industry and geography, separate from CPI.↗Inflation and monetary policyBank of Canada explanation of the inflation target and price stability.↗
What this Canadian estimate can—and cannot—tell you
How does the calculator show what an old Canadian-dollar amount is worth today?
It compares average Canadian consumer prices in the selected year with prices today. The result shows roughly how much would now be needed to buy a similar mix of goods and services.
What years can I enter?
You can enter Canadian-dollar amounts from 1960 onward. For an older amount, use the Bank of Canada calculator linked below.
Why might the Bank of Canada show a different result?
The Bank of Canada can compare particular months, while this page compares whole years. Choose the option that matches the date on your record.
Does the CPI result show how much a house appreciated?
No. Housing costs inside CPI do not show the resale value of a home. For property values, use dedicated home-price data.
Is this a USD–CAD exchange-rate calculator?
No. The main result compares Canadian consumer prices. If you choose another currency, it changes today’s Canadian-dollar amount using today’s exchange rate.
Should I use Canada or provincial CPI?
Use provincial CPI when the amount and comparison are specific to a province and matching data are available. Canada-wide CPI is a national baseline.
Is average weekly earnings the same as take-home pay?
No. It is a payroll survey measure and does not reproduce an individual’s taxes, benefits, hours or household circumstances.
Why are all results shown in today’s money?
Using one year’s prices makes Canadian-dollar amounts from different years easy to compare on the same basis.