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 September 2026 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of rice was $1.118, in September 2026.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.484, which is equivalent to $2.096 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 46.66%, an average decline of -1.34% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $2.163, 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
Sep 2026 1.118 1.118
Aug 2026 1.111 1.118
Jul 2026 1.1 1.11
Jun 2026 1.089 1.099
May 2026 1.071 1.077
Apr 2026 1.076 1.089
Mar 2026 1.06 1.082
Feb 2026 1.074 1.107
Jan 2026 1.059 1.097
Dec 2025 1.076 1.119
Nov 2025 1.065 1.107
Sep 2025 1.06 1.1
Aug 2025 1.059 1.101
Jul 2025 1.068 1.114
Jun 2025 1.061 1.108
May 2025 1.067 1.118
Apr 2025 1.031 1.083
Mar 2025 1.038 1.094
Feb 2025 1.03 1.088
Jan 2025 1.008 1.069
Dec 2024 1.032 1.102
Nov 2024 1.061 1.133
Oct 2024 1.056 1.127
Sep 2024 1.078 1.152
Aug 2024 1.085 1.161
Jul 2024 1.039 1.113
Jun 2024 1.018 1.092
May 2024 1.002 1.075
Apr 2024 1.025 1.101
Mar 2024 1.014 1.094
Feb 2024 1.001 1.087
Jan 2024 1 1.092
Dec 2023 0.99 1.087
Nov 2023 0.992 1.089
Oct 2023 0.96 1.051
Sep 2023 0.981 1.074
Aug 2023 0.997 1.094
Jul 2023 1.006 1.109
Jun 2023 1.003 1.108
May 2023 0.997 1.105
Apr 2023 0.98 1.088
Mar 2023 0.982 1.096
Feb 2023 0.959 1.074
Jan 2023 0.97 1.092
Dec 2022 0.971 1.102
Nov 2022 0.963 1.09
Oct 2022 0.963 1.089
Sep 2022 0.939 1.066
Aug 2022 0.925 1.052
Jul 2022 0.929 1.057
Jun 2022 0.924 1.051
May 2022 0.909 1.048
Apr 2022 0.9 1.049
Mar 2022 0.871 1.021
Feb 2022 0.83 0.986
Jan 2022 0.832 0.997
Dec 2021 0.82 0.991
Nov 2021 0.844 1.023
Oct 2021 0.788 0.96
Sep 2021 0.798 0.98
Aug 2021 0.784 0.966
Jul 2021 0.782 0.965
Jun 2021 0.778 0.965
May 2021 0.801 1.003
Apr 2021 0.785 0.99
Mar 2021 0.772 0.982
Feb 2021 0.779 0.998
Jan 2021 0.794 1.023
Dec 2020 0.789 1.021
Nov 2020 0.791 1.024
Oct 2020 0.766 0.991
Sep 2020 0.777 1.006
Aug 2020 0.769 0.997
Jul 2020 0.772 1.004
Jun 2020 0.749 0.979
May 2020 0.748 0.983
Mar 2020 0.733 0.957
Feb 2020 0.734 0.956
Jan 2020 0.716 0.935
Dec 2019 0.714 0.936
Nov 2019 0.721 0.945
Oct 2019 0.773 1.012
Sep 2019 0.797 1.046
Aug 2019 0.793 1.041
Jul 2019 0.798 1.048
Jun 2019 0.801 1.054
May 2019 0.761 1.001
Apr 2019 0.767 1.011
Mar 2019 0.757 1.003
Feb 2019 0.762 1.016
Jan 2019 0.73 0.977
Dec 2018 0.712 0.955
Nov 2018 0.711 0.951
Oct 2018 0.685 0.913
Sep 2018 0.693 0.925
Aug 2018 0.705 0.942
Jul 2018 0.69 0.923
Jun 2018 0.689 0.921
May 2018 0.698 0.935
Apr 2018 0.685 0.921
Mar 2018 0.682 0.921
Feb 2018 0.691 0.935
Jan 2018 0.682 0.927
Dec 2017 0.711 0.972
Nov 2017 0.712 0.973
Oct 2017 0.723 0.988
Sep 2017 0.741 1.012
Aug 2017 0.753 1.033
Jul 2017 0.764 1.052
Jun 2017 0.752 1.034
May 2017 0.726 1
Apr 2017 0.686 0.945
Mar 2017 0.692 0.956
Feb 2017 0.695 0.961
Jan 2017 0.7 0.971
Dec 2016 0.693 0.967
Nov 2016 0.703 0.981
Oct 2016 0.697 0.972
Sep 2016 0.721 1.006
Aug 2016 0.729 1.02
Jul 2016 0.74 1.036
Jun 2016 0.734 1.026
May 2016 0.747 1.048
Apr 2016 0.703 0.99
Mar 2016 0.711 1.006
Feb 2016 0.707 1.005
Jan 2016 0.709 1.008
Dec 2015 0.711 1.013
Nov 2015 0.732 1.039
Oct 2015 0.69 0.978
Sep 2015 0.662 0.937
Aug 2015 0.669 0.946
Jul 2015 0.673 0.95
Jun 2015 0.691 0.976
May 2015 0.676 0.958
Apr 2015 0.67 0.954
Mar 2015 0.67 0.956
Feb 2015 0.689 0.989
Jan 2015 0.692 0.998
Dec 2014 0.7 1.004
Nov 2014 0.717 1.023
Oct 2014 0.723 1.026
Sep 2014 0.746 1.056
Aug 2014 0.737 1.044
Jul 2014 0.758 1.072
Jun 2014 0.742 1.049
May 2014 0.739 1.047
Apr 2014 0.75 1.066
Mar 2014 0.733 1.045
Feb 2014 0.732 1.051
Jan 2014 0.731 1.053
Dec 2013 0.735 1.063
Nov 2013 0.729 1.054
Oct 2013 0.734 1.059
Sep 2013 0.741 1.066
Aug 2013 0.737 1.062
Jul 2013 0.721 1.04
Jun 2013 0.723 1.043
May 2013 0.702 1.015
Apr 2013 0.724 1.049
Mar 2013 0.714 1.034
Feb 2013 0.708 1.028
Jan 2013 0.715 1.046
Dec 2012 0.714 1.048
Nov 2012 0.704 1.03
Oct 2012 0.685 0.998
Sep 2012 0.684 0.996
Aug 2012 0.683 0.999
Jul 2012 0.681 1.002
Jun 2012 0.681 1
May 2012 0.677 0.993
Apr 2012 0.696 1.019
Mar 2012 0.7 1.028
Feb 2012 0.718 1.063
Jan 2012 0.739 1.099
Dec 2011 0.729 1.088
Nov 2011 0.752 1.12
Oct 2011 0.767 1.141
Sep 2011 0.719 1.068
Aug 2011 0.715 1.063
Jul 2011 0.716 1.068
Jun 2011 0.755 1.127
May 2011 0.767 1.144
Apr 2011 0.734 1.1
Mar 2011 0.745 1.123
Feb 2011 0.747 1.137
Jan 2011 0.742 1.135
Dec 2010 0.728 1.119
Nov 2010 0.71 1.093
Oct 2010 0.714 1.1
Sep 2010 0.723 1.115
Aug 2010 0.743 1.147
Jul 2010 0.749 1.158
Jun 2010 0.739 1.142
May 2010 0.746 1.152
Apr 2010 0.759 1.173
Mar 2010 0.764 1.183
Feb 2010 0.759 1.18
Jan 2010 0.754 1.172
Dec 2009 0.751 1.172
Nov 2009 0.768 1.196
Oct 2009 0.751 1.171
Sep 2009 0.76 1.186
Aug 2009 0.752 1.174
Jul 2009 0.756 1.183
Jun 2009 0.766 1.197
May 2009 0.773 1.218
Apr 2009 0.757 1.196
Mar 2009 0.774 1.226
Feb 2009 0.783 1.243
Jan 2009 0.797 1.272
Dec 2008 0.813 1.303
Nov 2008 0.82 1.301
Oct 2008 0.856 1.332
Sep 2008 0.853 1.314
Aug 2008 0.854 1.313
Jul 2008 0.795 1.218
Jun 2008 0.753 1.159
May 2008 0.704 1.095
Apr 2008 0.608 0.954
Mar 2008 0.584 0.922
Feb 2008 0.583 0.928
Jan 2008 0.568 0.907
Dec 2007 0.551 0.884
Nov 2007 0.544 0.872
Oct 2007 0.555 0.895
Sep 2007 0.546 0.882
Aug 2007 0.551 0.893
Jul 2007 0.547 0.885
Jun 2007 0.529 0.855
May 2007 0.544 0.881
Apr 2007 0.556 0.906
Mar 2007 0.548 0.899
Feb 2007 0.554 0.917
Jan 2007 0.563 0.937
Dec 2006 0.555 0.927
Nov 2006 0.555 0.928
Oct 2006 0.568 0.948
Sep 2006 0.55 0.913
Aug 2006 0.565 0.934
Jul 2006 0.561 0.929
Jun 2006 0.549 0.912
May 2006 0.549 0.913
Apr 2006 0.538 0.9
Mar 2006 0.534 0.901
Feb 2006 0.534 0.906
Jan 2006 0.532 0.904
Dec 2005 0.524 0.897
Nov 2005 0.53 0.904
Oct 2005 0.541 0.915
Sep 2005 0.544 0.922
Aug 2005 0.532 0.913
Jul 2005 0.553 0.954
Jun 2005 0.547 0.948
May 2005 0.552 0.957
Apr 2005 0.584 1.011
Mar 2005 0.57 0.994
Feb 2005 0.575 1.01
Jan 2005 0.597 1.055
Dec 2004 0.572 1.013
Nov 2004 0.572 1.009
Oct 2004 0.569 1.004
Sep 2004 0.565 1.002
Aug 2004 0.556 0.989
Jul 2004 0.56 0.996
Jun 2004 0.538 0.956
May 2004 0.528 0.941
Apr 2004 0.503 0.901
Mar 2004 0.504 0.906
Feb 2004 0.487 0.881
Jan 2004 0.482 0.877
Dec 2003 0.482 0.881
Nov 2003 0.49 0.895
Oct 2003 0.463 0.843
Sep 2003 0.461 0.839
Aug 2003 0.454 0.829
Jul 2003 0.451 0.826
Jun 2003 0.428 0.785
May 2003 0.429 0.788
Apr 2003 0.44 0.807
Mar 2003 0.44 0.805
Feb 2003 0.447 0.823
Jan 2003 0.441 0.818
Dec 2002 0.458 0.853
Nov 2002 0.461 0.857
Oct 2002 0.466 0.866
Sep 2002 0.471 0.877
Aug 2002 0.482 0.899
Jul 2002 0.475 0.889
Jun 2002 0.47 0.88
May 2002 0.472 0.885
Apr 2000 0.49 0.964
Mar 2000 0.481 0.947
Feb 2000 0.492 0.976
Jan 2000 0.499 0.996
Dec 1999 0.502 1.005
Nov 1999 0.488 0.977
Oct 1999 0.511 1.024
Sep 1999 0.547 1.098
Aug 1999 0.557 1.123
Jul 1999 0.55 1.112
Jun 1999 0.553 1.121
May 1999 0.551 1.117
Apr 1999 0.548 1.111
Mar 1999 0.544 1.111
Feb 1999 0.54 1.106
Jan 1999 0.551 1.13
Dec 1998 0.543 1.116
Nov 1998 0.539 1.107
Oct 1998 0.542 1.114
Sep 1998 0.544 1.12
Aug 1998 0.536 1.105
Jul 1998 0.54 1.115
Jun 1998 0.536 1.108
May 1998 0.541 1.12
Apr 1998 0.544 1.128
Mar 1998 0.545 1.132
Feb 1998 0.547 1.138
Jan 1998 0.546 1.138
Dec 1997 0.575 1.201
Nov 1997 0.572 1.193
Oct 1997 0.568 1.184
Sep 1997 0.564 1.179
Aug 1997 0.569 1.192
Jul 1997 0.564 1.184
Jun 1997 0.558 1.173
May 1997 0.563 1.185
Apr 1997 0.558 1.174
Mar 1997 0.564 1.188
Feb 1997 0.565 1.193
Jan 1997 0.56 1.186
Dec 1996 0.546 1.16
Nov 1996 0.552 1.173
Oct 1996 0.555 1.181
Sep 1996 0.54 1.153
Aug 1996 0.541 1.159
Jul 1996 0.537 1.152
Jun 1996 0.537 1.155
May 1996 0.548 1.179
Apr 1996 0.538 1.16
Mar 1996 0.556 1.203
Feb 1996 0.552 1.201
Jan 1996 0.552 1.205
Dec 1995 0.553 1.214
Nov 1995 0.535 1.174
Oct 1995 0.535 1.173
Sep 1995 0.523 1.15
Aug 1995 0.526 1.159
Jul 1995 0.519 1.147
Jun 1995 0.518 1.144
May 1995 0.518 1.147
Apr 1995 0.515 1.142
Mar 1995 0.511 1.137
Feb 1995 0.518 1.157
Jan 1995 0.523 1.172
Dec 1994 0.534 1.202
Nov 1994 0.541 1.218
Oct 1994 0.534 1.204
Sep 1994 0.534 1.204
Aug 1994 0.546 1.235
Jul 1994 0.566 1.285
Jun 1994 0.555 1.264
May 1994 0.562 1.284
Apr 1994 0.575 1.314
Mar 1994 0.556 1.273
Feb 1994 0.543 1.247
Jan 1994 0.515 1.187
Dec 1993 0.495 1.144
Nov 1993 0.49 1.132
Oct 1993 0.495 1.145
Sep 1993 0.494 1.147
Aug 1993 0.507 1.18
Jul 1993 0.527 1.23
Jun 1993 0.518 1.209
May 1993 0.518 1.21
Apr 1993 0.522 1.221
Mar 1993 0.525 1.232
Feb 1993 0.53 1.248
Jan 1993 0.526 1.243
Dec 1992 0.525 1.247
Nov 1992 0.536 1.272
Oct 1992 0.543 1.29
Sep 1992 0.542 1.292
Aug 1992 0.537 1.284
Jul 1992 0.54 1.295
Jun 1992 0.52 1.25
May 1992 0.524 1.264
Apr 1992 0.522 1.261
Mar 1992 0.515 1.246
Feb 1992 0.515 1.252
Jan 1992 0.516 1.259
Dec 1991 0.51 1.246
Nov 1991 0.517 1.264
Oct 1991 0.508 1.246
Sep 1991 0.506 1.243
Aug 1991 0.494 1.219
Jul 1991 0.503 1.244
Jun 1991 0.506 1.254
May 1991 0.502 1.247
Apr 1991 0.502 1.251
Mar 1991 0.498 1.243
Feb 1991 0.492 1.23
Jan 1991 0.494 1.237
Dec 1990 0.491 1.236
Nov 1990 0.507 1.277
Oct 1990 0.497 1.254
Sep 1990 0.505 1.282
Aug 1990 0.497 1.272
Jul 1990 0.494 1.276
Jun 1990 0.494 1.281
May 1990 0.496 1.294
Apr 1990 0.497 1.299
Mar 1990 0.502 1.314
Feb 1990 0.476 1.253
Jan 1990 0.501 1.325
Dec 1989 0.504 1.347
Nov 1989 0.497 1.33
Oct 1989 0.513 1.376
Sep 1989 0.52 1.402
Aug 1989 0.509 1.376
Jul 1989 0.514 1.392
Jun 1989 0.486 1.32
May 1989 0.485 1.32
Apr 1989 0.482 1.319
Mar 1989 0.488 1.344
Feb 1989 0.495 1.372
Jan 1989 0.489 1.361
Dec 1988 0.484 1.353
Nov 1988 0.485 1.358
Oct 1988 0.475 1.332
Sep 1988 0.503 1.415
Aug 1988 0.506 1.433
Jul 1988 0.507 1.442
Jun 1988 0.492 1.405
May 1988 0.497 1.425
Apr 1988 0.488 1.404
Mar 1988 0.468 1.354
Feb 1988 0.462 1.342
Jan 1988 0.446 1.299
Dec 1987 0.422 1.232
Nov 1987 0.405 1.183
Oct 1987 0.395 1.154
Sep 1987 0.395 1.157
Aug 1987 0.403 1.187
Jul 1987 0.391 1.158
Jun 1987 0.393 1.167
May 1987 0.395 1.177
Apr 1987 0.398 1.19
Mar 1987 0.394 1.184
Feb 1987 0.411 1.241
Jan 1987 0.416 1.26
Dec 1986 0.434 1.323
Nov 1986 0.432 1.318
Oct 1986 0.436 1.332
Sep 1986 0.434 1.327
Aug 1986 0.443 1.361
Jul 1986 0.453 1.394
Jun 1986 0.446 1.372
May 1986 0.451 1.395
Apr 1986 0.453 1.405
Mar 1986 0.453 1.403
Feb 1986 0.455 1.403
Jan 1986 0.456 1.402
Dec 1985 0.45 1.387
Nov 1985 0.466 1.44
Oct 1985 0.468 1.451
Sep 1985 0.473 1.472
Aug 1985 0.473 1.476
Jul 1985 0.471 1.472
Jun 1985 0.467 1.462
May 1985 0.472 1.482
Apr 1985 0.475 1.497
Mar 1985 0.476 1.507
Feb 1985 0.472 1.5
Jan 1985 0.475 1.517
Dec 1984 0.472 1.51
Nov 1984 0.479 1.533
Oct 1984 0.48 1.536
Sep 1984 0.478 1.534
Aug 1984 0.479 1.544
Jul 1984 0.484 1.567
Jun 1984 0.477 1.55
May 1984 0.471 1.535
Apr 1984 0.471 1.539
Mar 1984 0.476 1.563
Feb 1984 0.485 1.596
Jan 1984 0.484 1.6
Dec 1983 0.479 1.593
Nov 1983 0.474 1.578
Oct 1983 0.473 1.578
Sep 1983 0.475 1.589
Aug 1983 0.468 1.574
Jul 1983 0.475 1.602
Jun 1983 0.469 1.588
May 1983 0.468 1.59
Apr 1983 0.47 1.606
Mar 1983 0.468 1.611
Feb 1983 0.473 1.628
Jan 1983 0.486 1.674
Dec 1982 0.482 1.664
Nov 1982 0.487 1.674
Oct 1982 0.488 1.674
Sep 1982 0.491 1.69
Aug 1982 0.494 1.704
Jul 1982 0.496 1.714
Jun 1982 0.499 1.733
May 1982 0.508 1.787
Apr 1982 0.504 1.789
Mar 1982 0.516 1.84
Feb 1982 0.547 1.948
Jan 1982 0.545 1.947
Dec 1981 0.545 1.954
Nov 1981 0.55 1.978
Oct 1981 0.556 2.006
Sep 1981 0.567 2.05
Aug 1981 0.577 2.106
Jul 1981 0.574 2.111
Jun 1981 0.572 2.127
May 1981 0.575 2.157
Apr 1981 0.572 2.163
Mar 1981 0.563 2.143
Feb 1981 0.554 2.124
Jan 1981 0.551 2.134
Dec 1980 0.539 2.104
Nov 1980 0.52 2.049
Oct 1980 0.519 2.062
Sep 1980 0.517 2.074
Aug 1980 0.518 2.095
Jul 1980 0.523 2.131
Jun 1980 0.521 2.123
May 1980 0.51 2.101
Apr 1980 0.511 2.126
Mar 1980 0.489 2.057
Feb 1980 0.488 2.084
Jan 1980 0.484 2.096

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.

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Other Inflation-Adjusted Data