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 July 2026 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of rice was $1.1, in July 2026.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.484, which is equivalent to $2.077 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 47.05%, an average decline of -1.36% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $2.144, 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
Jul 2026 1.1 1.1
Jun 2026 1.089 1.089
May 2026 1.071 1.067
Apr 2026 1.076 1.079
Mar 2026 1.06 1.072
Feb 2026 1.074 1.097
Jan 2026 1.059 1.087
Dec 2025 1.076 1.109
Nov 2025 1.065 1.097
Sep 2025 1.06 1.09
Aug 2025 1.059 1.091
Jul 2025 1.068 1.104
Jun 2025 1.061 1.098
May 2025 1.067 1.108
Apr 2025 1.031 1.073
Mar 2025 1.038 1.084
Feb 2025 1.03 1.078
Jan 2025 1.008 1.06
Dec 2024 1.032 1.092
Nov 2024 1.061 1.123
Oct 2024 1.056 1.117
Sep 2024 1.078 1.142
Aug 2024 1.085 1.151
Jul 2024 1.039 1.103
Jun 2024 1.018 1.082
May 2024 1.002 1.065
Apr 2024 1.025 1.092
Mar 2024 1.014 1.084
Feb 2024 1.001 1.077
Jan 2024 1 1.083
Dec 2023 0.99 1.078
Nov 2023 0.992 1.079
Oct 2023 0.96 1.042
Sep 2023 0.981 1.064
Aug 2023 0.997 1.084
Jul 2023 1.006 1.099
Jun 2023 1.003 1.098
May 2023 0.997 1.095
Apr 2023 0.98 1.079
Mar 2023 0.982 1.086
Feb 2023 0.959 1.064
Jan 2023 0.97 1.083
Dec 2022 0.971 1.092
Nov 2022 0.963 1.08
Oct 2022 0.963 1.079
Sep 2022 0.939 1.056
Aug 2022 0.925 1.043
Jul 2022 0.929 1.047
Jun 2022 0.924 1.041
May 2022 0.909 1.038
Apr 2022 0.9 1.039
Mar 2022 0.871 1.012
Feb 2022 0.83 0.977
Jan 2022 0.832 0.988
Dec 2021 0.82 0.982
Nov 2021 0.844 1.014
Oct 2021 0.788 0.951
Sep 2021 0.798 0.971
Aug 2021 0.784 0.957
Jul 2021 0.782 0.956
Jun 2021 0.778 0.956
May 2021 0.801 0.994
Apr 2021 0.785 0.982
Mar 2021 0.772 0.973
Feb 2021 0.779 0.989
Jan 2021 0.794 1.014
Dec 2020 0.789 1.011
Nov 2020 0.791 1.015
Oct 2020 0.766 0.982
Sep 2020 0.777 0.997
Aug 2020 0.769 0.988
Jul 2020 0.772 0.995
Jun 2020 0.749 0.97
May 2020 0.748 0.974
Mar 2020 0.733 0.948
Feb 2020 0.734 0.947
Jan 2020 0.716 0.927
Dec 2019 0.714 0.928
Nov 2019 0.721 0.936
Oct 2019 0.773 1.003
Sep 2019 0.797 1.037
Aug 2019 0.793 1.032
Jul 2019 0.798 1.039
Jun 2019 0.801 1.044
May 2019 0.761 0.992
Apr 2019 0.767 1.002
Mar 2019 0.757 0.994
Feb 2019 0.762 1.007
Jan 2019 0.73 0.968
Dec 2018 0.712 0.946
Nov 2018 0.711 0.942
Oct 2018 0.685 0.904
Sep 2018 0.693 0.917
Aug 2018 0.705 0.934
Jul 2018 0.69 0.914
Jun 2018 0.689 0.913
May 2018 0.698 0.926
Apr 2018 0.685 0.913
Mar 2018 0.682 0.913
Feb 2018 0.691 0.927
Jan 2018 0.682 0.919
Dec 2017 0.711 0.963
Nov 2017 0.712 0.964
Oct 2017 0.723 0.979
Sep 2017 0.741 1.002
Aug 2017 0.753 1.024
Jul 2017 0.764 1.042
Jun 2017 0.752 1.025
May 2017 0.726 0.991
Apr 2017 0.686 0.937
Mar 2017 0.692 0.948
Feb 2017 0.695 0.953
Jan 2017 0.7 0.963
Dec 2016 0.693 0.958
Nov 2016 0.703 0.973
Oct 2016 0.697 0.963
Sep 2016 0.721 0.997
Aug 2016 0.729 1.011
Jul 2016 0.74 1.027
Jun 2016 0.734 1.017
May 2016 0.747 1.038
Apr 2016 0.703 0.981
Mar 2016 0.711 0.997
Feb 2016 0.707 0.996
Jan 2016 0.709 0.999
Dec 2015 0.711 1.004
Nov 2015 0.732 1.03
Oct 2015 0.69 0.969
Sep 2015 0.662 0.929
Aug 2015 0.669 0.937
Jul 2015 0.673 0.942
Jun 2015 0.691 0.967
May 2015 0.676 0.949
Apr 2015 0.67 0.946
Mar 2015 0.67 0.948
Feb 2015 0.689 0.98
Jan 2015 0.692 0.989
Dec 2014 0.7 0.995
Nov 2014 0.717 1.014
Oct 2014 0.723 1.017
Sep 2014 0.746 1.047
Aug 2014 0.737 1.035
Jul 2014 0.758 1.062
Jun 2014 0.742 1.04
May 2014 0.739 1.037
Apr 2014 0.75 1.056
Mar 2014 0.733 1.036
Feb 2014 0.732 1.041
Jan 2014 0.731 1.044
Dec 2013 0.735 1.053
Nov 2013 0.729 1.044
Oct 2013 0.734 1.049
Sep 2013 0.741 1.057
Aug 2013 0.737 1.052
Jul 2013 0.721 1.031
Jun 2013 0.723 1.034
May 2013 0.702 1.006
Apr 2013 0.724 1.04
Mar 2013 0.714 1.024
Feb 2013 0.708 1.018
Jan 2013 0.715 1.037
Dec 2012 0.714 1.038
Nov 2012 0.704 1.021
Oct 2012 0.685 0.989
Sep 2012 0.684 0.987
Aug 2012 0.683 0.99
Jul 2012 0.681 0.993
Jun 2012 0.681 0.991
May 2012 0.677 0.984
Apr 2012 0.696 1.01
Mar 2012 0.7 1.019
Feb 2012 0.718 1.053
Jan 2012 0.739 1.089
Dec 2011 0.729 1.079
Nov 2011 0.752 1.11
Oct 2011 0.767 1.131
Sep 2011 0.719 1.058
Aug 2011 0.715 1.054
Jul 2011 0.716 1.058
Jun 2011 0.755 1.117
May 2011 0.767 1.133
Apr 2011 0.734 1.09
Mar 2011 0.745 1.113
Feb 2011 0.747 1.127
Jan 2011 0.742 1.125
Dec 2010 0.728 1.109
Nov 2010 0.71 1.084
Oct 2010 0.714 1.09
Sep 2010 0.723 1.105
Aug 2010 0.743 1.136
Jul 2010 0.749 1.147
Jun 2010 0.739 1.132
May 2010 0.746 1.142
Apr 2010 0.759 1.163
Mar 2010 0.764 1.172
Feb 2010 0.759 1.169
Jan 2010 0.754 1.162
Dec 2009 0.751 1.161
Nov 2009 0.768 1.185
Oct 2009 0.751 1.16
Sep 2009 0.76 1.175
Aug 2009 0.752 1.163
Jul 2009 0.756 1.172
Jun 2009 0.766 1.186
May 2009 0.773 1.207
Apr 2009 0.757 1.185
Mar 2009 0.774 1.215
Feb 2009 0.783 1.232
Jan 2009 0.797 1.26
Dec 2008 0.813 1.291
Nov 2008 0.82 1.289
Oct 2008 0.856 1.32
Sep 2008 0.853 1.302
Aug 2008 0.854 1.302
Jul 2008 0.795 1.207
Jun 2008 0.753 1.149
May 2008 0.704 1.085
Apr 2008 0.608 0.945
Mar 2008 0.584 0.913
Feb 2008 0.583 0.92
Jan 2008 0.568 0.899
Dec 2007 0.551 0.876
Nov 2007 0.544 0.864
Oct 2007 0.555 0.887
Sep 2007 0.546 0.874
Aug 2007 0.551 0.885
Jul 2007 0.547 0.877
Jun 2007 0.529 0.848
May 2007 0.544 0.874
Apr 2007 0.556 0.898
Mar 2007 0.548 0.891
Feb 2007 0.554 0.909
Jan 2007 0.563 0.929
Dec 2006 0.555 0.918
Nov 2006 0.555 0.92
Oct 2006 0.568 0.94
Sep 2006 0.55 0.905
Aug 2006 0.565 0.925
Jul 2006 0.561 0.921
Jun 2006 0.549 0.904
May 2006 0.549 0.905
Apr 2006 0.538 0.892
Mar 2006 0.534 0.892
Feb 2006 0.534 0.897
Jan 2006 0.532 0.896
Dec 2005 0.524 0.889
Nov 2005 0.53 0.896
Oct 2005 0.541 0.907
Sep 2005 0.544 0.914
Aug 2005 0.532 0.905
Jul 2005 0.553 0.945
Jun 2005 0.547 0.939
May 2005 0.552 0.948
Apr 2005 0.584 1.002
Mar 2005 0.57 0.985
Feb 2005 0.575 1.001
Jan 2005 0.597 1.045
Dec 2004 0.572 1.004
Nov 2004 0.572 1
Oct 2004 0.569 0.995
Sep 2004 0.565 0.993
Aug 2004 0.556 0.98
Jul 2004 0.56 0.987
Jun 2004 0.538 0.947
May 2004 0.528 0.932
Apr 2004 0.503 0.893
Mar 2004 0.504 0.898
Feb 2004 0.487 0.873
Jan 2004 0.482 0.869
Dec 2003 0.482 0.873
Nov 2003 0.49 0.887
Oct 2003 0.463 0.836
Sep 2003 0.461 0.831
Aug 2003 0.454 0.821
Jul 2003 0.451 0.819
Jun 2003 0.428 0.778
May 2003 0.429 0.781
Apr 2003 0.44 0.799
Mar 2003 0.44 0.798
Feb 2003 0.447 0.815
Jan 2003 0.441 0.81
Dec 2002 0.458 0.845
Nov 2002 0.461 0.849
Oct 2002 0.466 0.858
Sep 2002 0.471 0.869
Aug 2002 0.482 0.891
Jul 2002 0.475 0.881
Jun 2002 0.47 0.872
May 2002 0.472 0.877
Apr 2000 0.49 0.955
Mar 2000 0.481 0.938
Feb 2000 0.492 0.968
Jan 2000 0.499 0.987
Dec 1999 0.502 0.996
Nov 1999 0.488 0.968
Oct 1999 0.511 1.014
Sep 1999 0.547 1.088
Aug 1999 0.557 1.113
Jul 1999 0.55 1.102
Jun 1999 0.553 1.111
May 1999 0.551 1.107
Apr 1999 0.548 1.101
Mar 1999 0.544 1.101
Feb 1999 0.54 1.096
Jan 1999 0.551 1.12
Dec 1998 0.543 1.106
Nov 1998 0.539 1.097
Oct 1998 0.542 1.104
Sep 1998 0.544 1.11
Aug 1998 0.536 1.095
Jul 1998 0.54 1.105
Jun 1998 0.536 1.098
May 1998 0.541 1.11
Apr 1998 0.544 1.118
Mar 1998 0.545 1.122
Feb 1998 0.547 1.128
Jan 1998 0.546 1.128
Dec 1997 0.575 1.19
Nov 1997 0.572 1.183
Oct 1997 0.568 1.174
Sep 1997 0.564 1.168
Aug 1997 0.569 1.182
Jul 1997 0.564 1.173
Jun 1997 0.558 1.162
May 1997 0.563 1.174
Apr 1997 0.558 1.163
Mar 1997 0.564 1.177
Feb 1997 0.565 1.182
Jan 1997 0.56 1.175
Dec 1996 0.546 1.15
Nov 1996 0.552 1.162
Oct 1996 0.555 1.171
Sep 1996 0.54 1.143
Aug 1996 0.541 1.148
Jul 1996 0.537 1.142
Jun 1996 0.537 1.144
May 1996 0.548 1.168
Apr 1996 0.538 1.149
Mar 1996 0.556 1.192
Feb 1996 0.552 1.19
Jan 1996 0.552 1.194
Dec 1995 0.553 1.203
Nov 1995 0.535 1.163
Oct 1995 0.535 1.162
Sep 1995 0.523 1.14
Aug 1995 0.526 1.149
Jul 1995 0.519 1.136
Jun 1995 0.518 1.134
May 1995 0.518 1.136
Apr 1995 0.515 1.132
Mar 1995 0.511 1.127
Feb 1995 0.518 1.146
Jan 1995 0.523 1.162
Dec 1994 0.534 1.191
Nov 1994 0.541 1.207
Oct 1994 0.534 1.193
Sep 1994 0.534 1.194
Aug 1994 0.546 1.224
Jul 1994 0.566 1.274
Jun 1994 0.555 1.252
May 1994 0.562 1.272
Apr 1994 0.575 1.303
Mar 1994 0.556 1.261
Feb 1994 0.543 1.236
Jan 1994 0.515 1.176
Dec 1993 0.495 1.134
Nov 1993 0.49 1.122
Oct 1993 0.495 1.134
Sep 1993 0.494 1.137
Aug 1993 0.507 1.169
Jul 1993 0.527 1.219
Jun 1993 0.518 1.198
May 1993 0.518 1.2
Apr 1993 0.522 1.21
Mar 1993 0.525 1.221
Feb 1993 0.53 1.237
Jan 1993 0.526 1.232
Dec 1992 0.525 1.235
Nov 1992 0.536 1.26
Oct 1992 0.543 1.279
Sep 1992 0.542 1.281
Aug 1992 0.537 1.273
Jul 1992 0.54 1.283
Jun 1992 0.52 1.238
May 1992 0.524 1.252
Apr 1992 0.522 1.249
Mar 1992 0.515 1.235
Feb 1992 0.515 1.241
Jan 1992 0.516 1.248
Dec 1991 0.51 1.235
Nov 1991 0.517 1.253
Oct 1991 0.508 1.235
Sep 1991 0.506 1.232
Aug 1991 0.494 1.208
Jul 1991 0.503 1.233
Jun 1991 0.506 1.242
May 1991 0.502 1.236
Apr 1991 0.502 1.24
Mar 1991 0.498 1.232
Feb 1991 0.492 1.219
Jan 1991 0.494 1.226
Dec 1990 0.491 1.225
Nov 1990 0.507 1.265
Oct 1990 0.497 1.243
Sep 1990 0.505 1.271
Aug 1990 0.497 1.261
Jul 1990 0.494 1.265
Jun 1990 0.494 1.27
May 1990 0.496 1.282
Apr 1990 0.497 1.287
Mar 1990 0.502 1.302
Feb 1990 0.476 1.242
Jan 1990 0.501 1.313
Dec 1989 0.504 1.335
Nov 1989 0.497 1.318
Oct 1989 0.513 1.364
Sep 1989 0.52 1.389
Aug 1989 0.509 1.364
Jul 1989 0.514 1.38
Jun 1989 0.486 1.308
May 1989 0.485 1.308
Apr 1989 0.482 1.307
Mar 1989 0.488 1.332
Feb 1989 0.495 1.359
Jan 1989 0.489 1.348
Dec 1988 0.484 1.341
Nov 1988 0.485 1.346
Oct 1988 0.475 1.32
Sep 1988 0.503 1.402
Aug 1988 0.506 1.42
Jul 1988 0.507 1.429
Jun 1988 0.492 1.392
May 1988 0.497 1.412
Apr 1988 0.488 1.392
Mar 1988 0.468 1.341
Feb 1988 0.462 1.33
Jan 1988 0.446 1.287
Dec 1987 0.422 1.221
Nov 1987 0.405 1.172
Oct 1987 0.395 1.144
Sep 1987 0.395 1.147
Aug 1987 0.403 1.176
Jul 1987 0.391 1.147
Jun 1987 0.393 1.156
May 1987 0.395 1.166
Apr 1987 0.398 1.179
Mar 1987 0.394 1.174
Feb 1987 0.411 1.23
Jan 1987 0.416 1.249
Dec 1986 0.434 1.311
Nov 1986 0.432 1.307
Oct 1986 0.436 1.32
Sep 1986 0.434 1.315
Aug 1986 0.443 1.348
Jul 1986 0.453 1.381
Jun 1986 0.446 1.36
May 1986 0.451 1.383
Apr 1986 0.453 1.393
Mar 1986 0.453 1.39
Feb 1986 0.455 1.39
Jan 1986 0.456 1.389
Dec 1985 0.45 1.375
Nov 1985 0.466 1.428
Oct 1985 0.468 1.438
Sep 1985 0.473 1.458
Aug 1985 0.473 1.462
Jul 1985 0.471 1.459
Jun 1985 0.467 1.449
May 1985 0.472 1.469
Apr 1985 0.475 1.484
Mar 1985 0.476 1.494
Feb 1985 0.472 1.487
Jan 1985 0.475 1.503
Dec 1984 0.472 1.497
Nov 1984 0.479 1.519
Oct 1984 0.48 1.522
Sep 1984 0.478 1.52
Aug 1984 0.479 1.531
Jul 1984 0.484 1.553
Jun 1984 0.477 1.536
May 1984 0.471 1.521
Apr 1984 0.471 1.525
Mar 1984 0.476 1.549
Feb 1984 0.485 1.582
Jan 1984 0.484 1.586
Dec 1983 0.479 1.579
Nov 1983 0.474 1.564
Oct 1983 0.473 1.564
Sep 1983 0.475 1.575
Aug 1983 0.468 1.56
Jul 1983 0.475 1.588
Jun 1983 0.469 1.574
May 1983 0.468 1.575
Apr 1983 0.47 1.592
Mar 1983 0.468 1.596
Feb 1983 0.473 1.613
Jan 1983 0.486 1.659
Dec 1982 0.482 1.649
Nov 1982 0.487 1.659
Oct 1982 0.488 1.659
Sep 1982 0.491 1.675
Aug 1982 0.494 1.688
Jul 1982 0.496 1.699
Jun 1982 0.499 1.718
May 1982 0.508 1.771
Apr 1982 0.504 1.773
Mar 1982 0.516 1.823
Feb 1982 0.547 1.931
Jan 1982 0.545 1.93
Dec 1981 0.545 1.936
Nov 1981 0.55 1.96
Oct 1981 0.556 1.988
Sep 1981 0.567 2.031
Aug 1981 0.577 2.087
Jul 1981 0.574 2.092
Jun 1981 0.572 2.108
May 1981 0.575 2.138
Apr 1981 0.572 2.144
Mar 1981 0.563 2.124
Feb 1981 0.554 2.105
Jan 1981 0.551 2.115
Dec 1980 0.539 2.086
Nov 1980 0.52 2.031
Oct 1980 0.519 2.044
Sep 1980 0.517 2.055
Aug 1980 0.518 2.076
Jul 1980 0.523 2.112
Jun 1980 0.521 2.104
May 1980 0.51 2.082
Apr 1980 0.511 2.107
Mar 1980 0.489 2.039
Feb 1980 0.488 2.065
Jan 1980 0.484 2.077

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