US Average Rice Price Adjusted for Inflation

This page shows the historical price of rice adjusted for inflation, providing a view of the real changes in purchasing power needed to buy rice over time.

The prices represent all types of white, long-grain, uncooked rice sold by the pound (453.6 grams) in urban areas across the United States. This includes both organic and non-organic varieties, regardless of package type or size.

Adjusted prices are shown in "today’s dollars", meaning they are benchmarked to the purchasing power of May 2026 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of rice was $1.071, in May 2026.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.484, which is equivalent to $2.085 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 48.63%, an average decline of -1.43% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $2.151, reached in April 1981.

The inflation-adjusted price history reveals a striking long-term downward trend that began in the early 1980s, when prices were nearly twice what they are today. This decline illustrates the remarkable productivity improvements in global rice cultivation, including better irrigation techniques, improved seed varieties and mechanization of harvesting processes.

A notable exception to this downward trend appears in the 2007-2008 period, when rice prices spiked dramatically during the global food crisis. This crisis stemmed from a combination of factors including drought in rice-producing regions, export restrictions from major producers like India and Vietnam, and increased speculation in commodity markets. This event demonstrates how rice, despite its declining real cost over decades, remains vulnerable to sudden supply disruptions due to its importance in global food security.

The considerable gap between the gradually rising nominal price and the declining inflation-adjusted price highlights an important economic insight: despite what consumers experience at checkout, rice has actually become significantly more affordable relative to average incomes and other consumer goods, making this nutritional staple more economically accessible today than in previous generations.

Inflation-Adjusted Values by Month

By examining the inflation-adjusted price over time, consumers and analysts can better understand the underlying purchasing power cost of rice, separate from the general rise in the cost of living.

The following table provides a month-by-month breakdown.

Month Nominal Inflation-Adjusted
May 2026 1.071 1.071
Apr 2026 1.076 1.083
Mar 2026 1.06 1.076
Feb 2026 1.074 1.101
Jan 2026 1.059 1.091
Dec 2025 1.076 1.113
Nov 2025 1.065 1.101
Sep 2025 1.06 1.094
Aug 2025 1.059 1.095
Jul 2025 1.068 1.108
Jun 2025 1.061 1.102
May 2025 1.067 1.112
Apr 2025 1.031 1.077
Mar 2025 1.038 1.088
Feb 2025 1.03 1.082
Jan 2025 1.008 1.063
Dec 2024 1.032 1.096
Nov 2024 1.061 1.127
Oct 2024 1.056 1.121
Sep 2024 1.078 1.146
Aug 2024 1.085 1.155
Jul 2024 1.039 1.107
Jun 2024 1.018 1.086
May 2024 1.002 1.069
Apr 2024 1.025 1.096
Mar 2024 1.014 1.088
Feb 2024 1.001 1.081
Jan 2024 1 1.087
Dec 2023 0.99 1.082
Nov 2023 0.992 1.083
Oct 2023 0.96 1.046
Sep 2023 0.981 1.068
Aug 2023 0.997 1.088
Jul 2023 1.006 1.103
Jun 2023 1.003 1.102
May 2023 0.997 1.099
Apr 2023 0.98 1.083
Mar 2023 0.982 1.09
Feb 2023 0.959 1.068
Jan 2023 0.97 1.087
Dec 2022 0.971 1.096
Nov 2022 0.963 1.084
Oct 2022 0.963 1.083
Sep 2022 0.939 1.06
Aug 2022 0.925 1.047
Jul 2022 0.929 1.051
Jun 2022 0.924 1.045
May 2022 0.909 1.042
Apr 2022 0.9 1.043
Mar 2022 0.871 1.015
Feb 2022 0.83 0.98
Jan 2022 0.832 0.992
Dec 2021 0.82 0.986
Nov 2021 0.844 1.018
Oct 2021 0.788 0.955
Sep 2021 0.798 0.975
Aug 2021 0.784 0.96
Jul 2021 0.782 0.96
Jun 2021 0.778 0.96
May 2021 0.801 0.997
Apr 2021 0.785 0.985
Mar 2021 0.772 0.977
Feb 2021 0.779 0.993
Jan 2021 0.794 1.017
Dec 2020 0.789 1.015
Nov 2020 0.791 1.019
Oct 2020 0.766 0.986
Sep 2020 0.777 1
Aug 2020 0.769 0.992
Jul 2020 0.772 0.999
Jun 2020 0.749 0.974
May 2020 0.748 0.978
Mar 2020 0.733 0.952
Feb 2020 0.734 0.951
Jan 2020 0.716 0.93
Dec 2019 0.714 0.931
Nov 2019 0.721 0.939
Oct 2019 0.773 1.007
Sep 2019 0.797 1.04
Aug 2019 0.793 1.036
Jul 2019 0.798 1.042
Jun 2019 0.801 1.048
May 2019 0.761 0.996
Apr 2019 0.767 1.006
Mar 2019 0.757 0.998
Feb 2019 0.762 1.01
Jan 2019 0.73 0.972
Dec 2018 0.712 0.95
Nov 2018 0.711 0.945
Oct 2018 0.685 0.908
Sep 2018 0.693 0.92
Aug 2018 0.705 0.937
Jul 2018 0.69 0.918
Jun 2018 0.689 0.916
May 2018 0.698 0.93
Apr 2018 0.685 0.916
Mar 2018 0.682 0.916
Feb 2018 0.691 0.93
Jan 2018 0.682 0.922
Dec 2017 0.711 0.967
Nov 2017 0.712 0.967
Oct 2017 0.723 0.982
Sep 2017 0.741 1.006
Aug 2017 0.753 1.028
Jul 2017 0.764 1.046
Jun 2017 0.752 1.029
May 2017 0.726 0.994
Apr 2017 0.686 0.94
Mar 2017 0.692 0.951
Feb 2017 0.695 0.956
Jan 2017 0.7 0.966
Dec 2016 0.693 0.962
Nov 2016 0.703 0.976
Oct 2016 0.697 0.966
Sep 2016 0.721 1.001
Aug 2016 0.729 1.014
Jul 2016 0.74 1.031
Jun 2016 0.734 1.021
May 2016 0.747 1.042
Apr 2016 0.703 0.985
Mar 2016 0.711 1.001
Feb 2016 0.707 0.999
Jan 2016 0.709 1.003
Dec 2015 0.711 1.007
Nov 2015 0.732 1.034
Oct 2015 0.69 0.972
Sep 2015 0.662 0.932
Aug 2015 0.669 0.941
Jul 2015 0.673 0.945
Jun 2015 0.691 0.97
May 2015 0.676 0.953
Apr 2015 0.67 0.949
Mar 2015 0.67 0.951
Feb 2015 0.689 0.984
Jan 2015 0.692 0.992
Dec 2014 0.7 0.999
Nov 2014 0.717 1.017
Oct 2014 0.723 1.02
Sep 2014 0.746 1.05
Aug 2014 0.737 1.038
Jul 2014 0.758 1.066
Jun 2014 0.742 1.043
May 2014 0.739 1.041
Apr 2014 0.75 1.06
Mar 2014 0.733 1.04
Feb 2014 0.732 1.045
Jan 2014 0.731 1.047
Dec 2013 0.735 1.057
Nov 2013 0.729 1.048
Oct 2013 0.734 1.053
Sep 2013 0.741 1.061
Aug 2013 0.737 1.056
Jul 2013 0.721 1.034
Jun 2013 0.723 1.038
May 2013 0.702 1.01
Apr 2013 0.724 1.043
Mar 2013 0.714 1.028
Feb 2013 0.708 1.022
Jan 2013 0.715 1.041
Dec 2012 0.714 1.042
Nov 2012 0.704 1.025
Oct 2012 0.685 0.992
Sep 2012 0.684 0.991
Aug 2012 0.683 0.994
Jul 2012 0.681 0.996
Jun 2012 0.681 0.995
May 2012 0.677 0.987
Apr 2012 0.696 1.014
Mar 2012 0.7 1.023
Feb 2012 0.718 1.057
Jan 2012 0.739 1.093
Dec 2011 0.729 1.083
Nov 2011 0.752 1.114
Oct 2011 0.767 1.135
Sep 2011 0.719 1.062
Aug 2011 0.715 1.058
Jul 2011 0.716 1.062
Jun 2011 0.755 1.121
May 2011 0.767 1.138
Apr 2011 0.734 1.094
Mar 2011 0.745 1.117
Feb 2011 0.747 1.131
Jan 2011 0.742 1.129
Dec 2010 0.728 1.113
Nov 2010 0.71 1.087
Oct 2010 0.714 1.094
Sep 2010 0.723 1.109
Aug 2010 0.743 1.141
Jul 2010 0.749 1.151
Jun 2010 0.739 1.136
May 2010 0.746 1.146
Apr 2010 0.759 1.167
Mar 2010 0.764 1.176
Feb 2010 0.759 1.174
Jan 2010 0.754 1.166
Dec 2009 0.751 1.165
Nov 2009 0.768 1.19
Oct 2009 0.751 1.164
Sep 2009 0.76 1.179
Aug 2009 0.752 1.168
Jul 2009 0.756 1.176
Jun 2009 0.766 1.19
May 2009 0.773 1.211
Apr 2009 0.757 1.19
Mar 2009 0.774 1.219
Feb 2009 0.783 1.237
Jan 2009 0.797 1.265
Dec 2008 0.813 1.296
Nov 2008 0.82 1.294
Oct 2008 0.856 1.325
Sep 2008 0.853 1.307
Aug 2008 0.854 1.306
Jul 2008 0.795 1.211
Jun 2008 0.753 1.153
May 2008 0.704 1.089
Apr 2008 0.608 0.948
Mar 2008 0.584 0.917
Feb 2008 0.583 0.923
Jan 2008 0.568 0.902
Dec 2007 0.551 0.879
Nov 2007 0.544 0.867
Oct 2007 0.555 0.89
Sep 2007 0.546 0.878
Aug 2007 0.551 0.888
Jul 2007 0.547 0.88
Jun 2007 0.529 0.851
May 2007 0.544 0.877
Apr 2007 0.556 0.902
Mar 2007 0.548 0.894
Feb 2007 0.554 0.912
Jan 2007 0.563 0.932
Dec 2006 0.555 0.922
Nov 2006 0.555 0.923
Oct 2006 0.568 0.943
Sep 2006 0.55 0.908
Aug 2006 0.565 0.929
Jul 2006 0.561 0.924
Jun 2006 0.549 0.907
May 2006 0.549 0.909
Apr 2006 0.538 0.895
Mar 2006 0.534 0.896
Feb 2006 0.534 0.901
Jan 2006 0.532 0.899
Dec 2005 0.524 0.892
Nov 2005 0.53 0.899
Oct 2005 0.541 0.91
Sep 2005 0.544 0.917
Aug 2005 0.532 0.908
Jul 2005 0.553 0.948
Jun 2005 0.547 0.942
May 2005 0.552 0.952
Apr 2005 0.584 1.006
Mar 2005 0.57 0.988
Feb 2005 0.575 1.005
Jan 2005 0.597 1.049
Dec 2004 0.572 1.007
Nov 2004 0.572 1.004
Oct 2004 0.569 0.999
Sep 2004 0.565 0.997
Aug 2004 0.556 0.983
Jul 2004 0.56 0.991
Jun 2004 0.538 0.95
May 2004 0.528 0.936
Apr 2004 0.503 0.897
Mar 2004 0.504 0.901
Feb 2004 0.487 0.877
Jan 2004 0.482 0.872
Dec 2003 0.482 0.876
Nov 2003 0.49 0.89
Oct 2003 0.463 0.839
Sep 2003 0.461 0.834
Aug 2003 0.454 0.824
Jul 2003 0.451 0.822
Jun 2003 0.428 0.781
May 2003 0.429 0.783
Apr 2003 0.44 0.802
Mar 2003 0.44 0.801
Feb 2003 0.447 0.818
Jan 2003 0.441 0.813
Dec 2002 0.458 0.848
Nov 2002 0.461 0.852
Oct 2002 0.466 0.861
Sep 2002 0.471 0.872
Aug 2002 0.482 0.894
Jul 2002 0.475 0.884
Jun 2002 0.47 0.876
May 2002 0.472 0.88
Apr 2000 0.49 0.959
Mar 2000 0.481 0.942
Feb 2000 0.492 0.971
Jan 2000 0.499 0.991
Dec 1999 0.502 1
Nov 1999 0.488 0.972
Oct 1999 0.511 1.018
Sep 1999 0.547 1.092
Aug 1999 0.557 1.117
Jul 1999 0.55 1.106
Jun 1999 0.553 1.115
May 1999 0.551 1.111
Apr 1999 0.548 1.105
Mar 1999 0.544 1.105
Feb 1999 0.54 1.1
Jan 1999 0.551 1.124
Dec 1998 0.543 1.11
Nov 1998 0.539 1.101
Oct 1998 0.542 1.108
Sep 1998 0.544 1.114
Aug 1998 0.536 1.099
Jul 1998 0.54 1.109
Jun 1998 0.536 1.102
May 1998 0.541 1.114
Apr 1998 0.544 1.122
Mar 1998 0.545 1.126
Feb 1998 0.547 1.132
Jan 1998 0.546 1.132
Dec 1997 0.575 1.195
Nov 1997 0.572 1.187
Oct 1997 0.568 1.178
Sep 1997 0.564 1.173
Aug 1997 0.569 1.186
Jul 1997 0.564 1.178
Jun 1997 0.558 1.167
May 1997 0.563 1.178
Apr 1997 0.558 1.167
Mar 1997 0.564 1.181
Feb 1997 0.565 1.186
Jan 1997 0.56 1.18
Dec 1996 0.546 1.154
Nov 1996 0.552 1.166
Oct 1996 0.555 1.175
Sep 1996 0.54 1.147
Aug 1996 0.541 1.153
Jul 1996 0.537 1.146
Jun 1996 0.537 1.148
May 1996 0.548 1.173
Apr 1996 0.538 1.154
Mar 1996 0.556 1.197
Feb 1996 0.552 1.194
Jan 1996 0.552 1.198
Dec 1995 0.553 1.207
Nov 1995 0.535 1.167
Oct 1995 0.535 1.166
Sep 1995 0.523 1.144
Aug 1995 0.526 1.153
Jul 1995 0.519 1.141
Jun 1995 0.518 1.138
May 1995 0.518 1.141
Apr 1995 0.515 1.136
Mar 1995 0.511 1.131
Feb 1995 0.518 1.15
Jan 1995 0.523 1.166
Dec 1994 0.534 1.195
Nov 1994 0.541 1.211
Oct 1994 0.534 1.197
Sep 1994 0.534 1.198
Aug 1994 0.546 1.228
Jul 1994 0.566 1.278
Jun 1994 0.555 1.257
May 1994 0.562 1.277
Apr 1994 0.575 1.307
Mar 1994 0.556 1.266
Feb 1994 0.543 1.24
Jan 1994 0.515 1.18
Dec 1993 0.495 1.138
Nov 1993 0.49 1.126
Oct 1993 0.495 1.139
Sep 1993 0.494 1.141
Aug 1993 0.507 1.173
Jul 1993 0.527 1.223
Jun 1993 0.518 1.202
May 1993 0.518 1.204
Apr 1993 0.522 1.215
Mar 1993 0.525 1.225
Feb 1993 0.53 1.241
Jan 1993 0.526 1.236
Dec 1992 0.525 1.24
Nov 1992 0.536 1.265
Oct 1992 0.543 1.283
Sep 1992 0.542 1.285
Aug 1992 0.537 1.277
Jul 1992 0.54 1.288
Jun 1992 0.52 1.243
May 1992 0.524 1.257
Apr 1992 0.522 1.254
Mar 1992 0.515 1.239
Feb 1992 0.515 1.245
Jan 1992 0.516 1.252
Dec 1991 0.51 1.239
Nov 1991 0.517 1.257
Oct 1991 0.508 1.239
Sep 1991 0.506 1.236
Aug 1991 0.494 1.212
Jul 1991 0.503 1.238
Jun 1991 0.506 1.247
May 1991 0.502 1.241
Apr 1991 0.502 1.244
Mar 1991 0.498 1.236
Feb 1991 0.492 1.223
Jan 1991 0.494 1.23
Dec 1990 0.491 1.23
Nov 1990 0.507 1.27
Oct 1990 0.497 1.248
Sep 1990 0.505 1.275
Aug 1990 0.497 1.266
Jul 1990 0.494 1.27
Jun 1990 0.494 1.274
May 1990 0.496 1.287
Apr 1990 0.497 1.292
Mar 1990 0.502 1.307
Feb 1990 0.476 1.246
Jan 1990 0.501 1.318
Dec 1989 0.504 1.339
Nov 1989 0.497 1.323
Oct 1989 0.513 1.369
Sep 1989 0.52 1.394
Aug 1989 0.509 1.369
Jul 1989 0.514 1.385
Jun 1989 0.486 1.312
May 1989 0.485 1.313
Apr 1989 0.482 1.312
Mar 1989 0.488 1.337
Feb 1989 0.495 1.364
Jan 1989 0.489 1.353
Dec 1988 0.484 1.346
Nov 1988 0.485 1.351
Oct 1988 0.475 1.324
Sep 1988 0.503 1.407
Aug 1988 0.506 1.425
Jul 1988 0.507 1.434
Jun 1988 0.492 1.397
May 1988 0.497 1.417
Apr 1988 0.488 1.397
Mar 1988 0.468 1.346
Feb 1988 0.462 1.335
Jan 1988 0.446 1.292
Dec 1987 0.422 1.225
Nov 1987 0.405 1.176
Oct 1987 0.395 1.148
Sep 1987 0.395 1.151
Aug 1987 0.403 1.181
Jul 1987 0.391 1.151
Jun 1987 0.393 1.16
May 1987 0.395 1.17
Apr 1987 0.398 1.183
Mar 1987 0.394 1.178
Feb 1987 0.411 1.234
Jan 1987 0.416 1.254
Dec 1986 0.434 1.316
Nov 1986 0.432 1.311
Oct 1986 0.436 1.325
Sep 1986 0.434 1.32
Aug 1986 0.443 1.353
Jul 1986 0.453 1.386
Jun 1986 0.446 1.365
May 1986 0.451 1.388
Apr 1986 0.453 1.398
Mar 1986 0.453 1.395
Feb 1986 0.455 1.395
Jan 1986 0.456 1.394
Dec 1985 0.45 1.38
Nov 1985 0.466 1.433
Oct 1985 0.468 1.443
Sep 1985 0.473 1.464
Aug 1985 0.473 1.468
Jul 1985 0.471 1.464
Jun 1985 0.467 1.454
May 1985 0.472 1.474
Apr 1985 0.475 1.489
Mar 1985 0.476 1.499
Feb 1985 0.472 1.492
Jan 1985 0.475 1.509
Dec 1984 0.472 1.502
Nov 1984 0.479 1.524
Oct 1984 0.48 1.528
Sep 1984 0.478 1.526
Aug 1984 0.479 1.536
Jul 1984 0.484 1.558
Jun 1984 0.477 1.542
May 1984 0.471 1.527
Apr 1984 0.471 1.531
Mar 1984 0.476 1.555
Feb 1984 0.485 1.587
Jan 1984 0.484 1.592
Dec 1983 0.479 1.585
Nov 1983 0.474 1.57
Oct 1983 0.473 1.569
Sep 1983 0.475 1.581
Aug 1983 0.468 1.565
Jul 1983 0.475 1.593
Jun 1983 0.469 1.58
May 1983 0.468 1.581
Apr 1983 0.47 1.597
Mar 1983 0.468 1.602
Feb 1983 0.473 1.619
Jan 1983 0.486 1.665
Dec 1982 0.482 1.655
Nov 1982 0.487 1.665
Oct 1982 0.488 1.665
Sep 1982 0.491 1.681
Aug 1982 0.494 1.694
Jul 1982 0.496 1.705
Jun 1982 0.499 1.724
May 1982 0.508 1.777
Apr 1982 0.504 1.78
Mar 1982 0.516 1.83
Feb 1982 0.547 1.938
Jan 1982 0.545 1.937
Dec 1981 0.545 1.943
Nov 1981 0.55 1.967
Oct 1981 0.556 1.995
Sep 1981 0.567 2.039
Aug 1981 0.577 2.095
Jul 1981 0.574 2.1
Jun 1981 0.572 2.116
May 1981 0.575 2.146
Apr 1981 0.572 2.151
Mar 1981 0.563 2.132
Feb 1981 0.554 2.112
Jan 1981 0.551 2.122
Dec 1980 0.539 2.093
Nov 1980 0.52 2.038
Oct 1980 0.519 2.051
Sep 1980 0.517 2.063
Aug 1980 0.518 2.084
Jul 1980 0.523 2.119
Jun 1980 0.521 2.111
May 1980 0.51 2.089
Apr 1980 0.511 2.114
Mar 1980 0.489 2.046
Feb 1980 0.488 2.073
Jan 1980 0.484 2.085

About the Data

The US Average Rice Price represents the average cost of a pound of white, long grain, uncooked rice in urban areas across the United States, collected and published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

We have adjusted these prices for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). While a specific CPI for "Food" exists, using the broader CPI-U allows us to compare rice prices against the overall cost of goods and services typically purchased by households, revealing whether rice has become relatively more or less expensive compared to general inflation over time.

This data allows consumers and policymakers to understand trends in staple food prices and their impact on household budgets. By adjusting for inflation, this page provides insights into the real cost of rice over time, helping users make informed decisions and analyses.

More in Consumer Prices

Other Inflation-Adjusted Data