Inflation Calculator
See what today's expense will cost in the future after inflation.
Your inputs
Uses compound inflation: future cost = current cost × (1 + inflation rate) ^ years.
Estimates only. Figures are indicative and do not constitute financial advice.
About the Inflation Calculator
"Inflation calculator," "mehengai calculator," or "future cost calculator" gets searched by anyone trying to grasp why a retirement or long-term goal number sounds so much bigger than what things cost today — because inflation compounds just like investment returns do, quietly eroding purchasing power over years and decades while everyday prices (groceries, school fees, rent) just keep climbing in a way that feels gradual year to year but adds up to something huge over a couple of decades.
This calculator takes a current cost (a monthly expense, a goal, or any future expenditure) and projects what it'll cost after your chosen number of years at a given inflation rate, using the same compounding formula as investment growth, just working against your money's value instead. Even moderate inflation (5-7%, typical for India in recent years) roughly doubles costs every 10-14 years — exactly why retirement and long-term goal planning must explicitly account for inflation rather than assuming today's expenses will stay flat. It's the same reason a monthly budget of ₹50,000 today might realistically need to be ₹1.5-2 lakh in 20-25 years just to maintain the same lifestyle. Use this to sanity-check a retirement calculator's assumptions, or to plan realistically for a large future expense like your child's education or a wedding, where costs have historically risen even faster than general inflation.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the current cost of the expense.
- Enter your expected annual inflation rate.
- Enter the number of years.
- See the future cost and total increase.
Frequently asked questions
›What is a realistic inflation rate to use for India?
Historically, general inflation in India has often run in the 5-7% range annually, though specific categories like education and healthcare have frequently seen higher inflation than the general rate.
›Why does a small inflation rate matter over long periods?
Because inflation compounds — even a modest 6% rate roughly doubles costs every 12 years, so the gap between today's cost and a 20-30 year future cost becomes very large.
›Should I use a higher inflation rate for education planning?
Many financial planners suggest using a higher rate (sometimes 8-10%) specifically for education costs, since these have historically outpaced general inflation in India.
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Read the full guide
What Today's ₹60,000 Expense Actually Costs in 15 Years