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 February 2026 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of rice was $1.074, in February 2026.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.484, which is equivalent to $2.033 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 47.17%, an average decline of -1.38% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $2.098, 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
Feb 2026 1.074 1.074
Jan 2026 1.059 1.064
Dec 2025 1.076 1.085
Nov 2025 1.065 1.074
Sep 2025 1.06 1.066
Aug 2025 1.059 1.068
Jul 2025 1.068 1.08
Jun 2025 1.061 1.075
May 2025 1.067 1.085
Apr 2025 1.031 1.05
Mar 2025 1.038 1.061
Feb 2025 1.03 1.055
Jan 2025 1.008 1.037
Dec 2024 1.032 1.069
Nov 2024 1.061 1.099
Oct 2024 1.056 1.093
Sep 2024 1.078 1.117
Aug 2024 1.085 1.126
Jul 2024 1.039 1.079
Jun 2024 1.018 1.059
May 2024 1.002 1.043
Apr 2024 1.025 1.068
Mar 2024 1.014 1.061
Feb 2024 1.001 1.054
Jan 2024 1 1.06
Dec 2023 0.99 1.055
Nov 2023 0.992 1.056
Oct 2023 0.96 1.02
Sep 2023 0.981 1.042
Aug 2023 0.997 1.061
Jul 2023 1.006 1.075
Jun 2023 1.003 1.074
May 2023 0.997 1.071
Apr 2023 0.98 1.056
Mar 2023 0.982 1.063
Feb 2023 0.959 1.042
Jan 2023 0.97 1.06
Dec 2022 0.971 1.069
Nov 2022 0.963 1.057
Oct 2022 0.963 1.056
Sep 2022 0.939 1.034
Aug 2022 0.925 1.021
Jul 2022 0.929 1.025
Jun 2022 0.924 1.019
May 2022 0.909 1.016
Apr 2022 0.9 1.017
Mar 2022 0.871 0.99
Feb 2022 0.83 0.956
Jan 2022 0.832 0.967
Dec 2021 0.82 0.961
Nov 2021 0.844 0.992
Oct 2021 0.788 0.931
Sep 2021 0.798 0.951
Aug 2021 0.784 0.937
Jul 2021 0.782 0.936
Jun 2021 0.778 0.936
May 2021 0.801 0.972
Apr 2021 0.785 0.961
Mar 2021 0.772 0.952
Feb 2021 0.779 0.968
Jan 2021 0.794 0.992
Dec 2020 0.789 0.99
Nov 2020 0.791 0.993
Oct 2020 0.766 0.961
Sep 2020 0.777 0.976
Aug 2020 0.769 0.967
Jul 2020 0.772 0.974
Jun 2020 0.749 0.949
May 2020 0.748 0.953
Mar 2020 0.733 0.928
Feb 2020 0.734 0.927
Jan 2020 0.716 0.907
Dec 2019 0.714 0.908
Nov 2019 0.721 0.916
Oct 2019 0.773 0.982
Sep 2019 0.797 1.014
Aug 2019 0.793 1.01
Jul 2019 0.798 1.016
Jun 2019 0.801 1.022
May 2019 0.761 0.971
Apr 2019 0.767 0.981
Mar 2019 0.757 0.973
Feb 2019 0.762 0.985
Jan 2019 0.73 0.948
Dec 2018 0.712 0.926
Nov 2018 0.711 0.922
Oct 2018 0.685 0.885
Sep 2018 0.693 0.897
Aug 2018 0.705 0.914
Jul 2018 0.69 0.895
Jun 2018 0.689 0.894
May 2018 0.698 0.907
Apr 2018 0.685 0.893
Mar 2018 0.682 0.893
Feb 2018 0.691 0.907
Jan 2018 0.682 0.899
Dec 2017 0.711 0.942
Nov 2017 0.712 0.943
Oct 2017 0.723 0.958
Sep 2017 0.741 0.981
Aug 2017 0.753 1.002
Jul 2017 0.764 1.02
Jun 2017 0.752 1.003
May 2017 0.726 0.969
Apr 2017 0.686 0.917
Mar 2017 0.692 0.928
Feb 2017 0.695 0.932
Jan 2017 0.7 0.942
Dec 2016 0.693 0.938
Nov 2016 0.703 0.952
Oct 2016 0.697 0.942
Sep 2016 0.721 0.976
Aug 2016 0.729 0.989
Jul 2016 0.74 1.005
Jun 2016 0.734 0.995
May 2016 0.747 1.016
Apr 2016 0.703 0.96
Mar 2016 0.711 0.976
Feb 2016 0.707 0.974
Jan 2016 0.709 0.978
Dec 2015 0.711 0.982
Nov 2015 0.732 1.008
Oct 2015 0.69 0.948
Sep 2015 0.662 0.909
Aug 2015 0.669 0.917
Jul 2015 0.673 0.922
Jun 2015 0.691 0.946
May 2015 0.676 0.929
Apr 2015 0.67 0.925
Mar 2015 0.67 0.927
Feb 2015 0.689 0.959
Jan 2015 0.692 0.968
Dec 2014 0.7 0.974
Nov 2014 0.717 0.992
Oct 2014 0.723 0.995
Sep 2014 0.746 1.024
Aug 2014 0.737 1.013
Jul 2014 0.758 1.04
Jun 2014 0.742 1.017
May 2014 0.739 1.015
Apr 2014 0.75 1.034
Mar 2014 0.733 1.014
Feb 2014 0.732 1.019
Jan 2014 0.731 1.021
Dec 2013 0.735 1.031
Nov 2013 0.729 1.022
Oct 2013 0.734 1.027
Sep 2013 0.741 1.034
Aug 2013 0.737 1.03
Jul 2013 0.721 1.009
Jun 2013 0.723 1.012
May 2013 0.702 0.985
Apr 2013 0.724 1.017
Mar 2013 0.714 1.002
Feb 2013 0.708 0.997
Jan 2013 0.715 1.015
Dec 2012 0.714 1.016
Nov 2012 0.704 0.999
Oct 2012 0.685 0.968
Sep 2012 0.684 0.966
Aug 2012 0.683 0.969
Jul 2012 0.681 0.971
Jun 2012 0.681 0.97
May 2012 0.677 0.963
Apr 2012 0.696 0.989
Mar 2012 0.7 0.997
Feb 2012 0.718 1.031
Jan 2012 0.739 1.065
Dec 2011 0.729 1.056
Nov 2011 0.752 1.086
Oct 2011 0.767 1.107
Sep 2011 0.719 1.036
Aug 2011 0.715 1.031
Jul 2011 0.716 1.036
Jun 2011 0.755 1.093
May 2011 0.767 1.109
Apr 2011 0.734 1.066
Mar 2011 0.745 1.089
Feb 2011 0.747 1.103
Jan 2011 0.742 1.101
Dec 2010 0.728 1.085
Nov 2010 0.71 1.06
Oct 2010 0.714 1.067
Sep 2010 0.723 1.082
Aug 2010 0.743 1.112
Jul 2010 0.749 1.123
Jun 2010 0.739 1.108
May 2010 0.746 1.117
Apr 2010 0.759 1.138
Mar 2010 0.764 1.147
Feb 2010 0.759 1.144
Jan 2010 0.754 1.137
Dec 2009 0.751 1.136
Nov 2009 0.768 1.16
Oct 2009 0.751 1.135
Sep 2009 0.76 1.15
Aug 2009 0.752 1.139
Jul 2009 0.756 1.147
Jun 2009 0.766 1.161
May 2009 0.773 1.181
Apr 2009 0.757 1.16
Mar 2009 0.774 1.189
Feb 2009 0.783 1.206
Jan 2009 0.797 1.234
Dec 2008 0.813 1.264
Nov 2008 0.82 1.261
Oct 2008 0.856 1.292
Sep 2008 0.853 1.274
Aug 2008 0.854 1.274
Jul 2008 0.795 1.181
Jun 2008 0.753 1.125
May 2008 0.704 1.062
Apr 2008 0.608 0.925
Mar 2008 0.584 0.894
Feb 2008 0.583 0.9
Jan 2008 0.568 0.879
Dec 2007 0.551 0.857
Nov 2007 0.544 0.846
Oct 2007 0.555 0.868
Sep 2007 0.546 0.856
Aug 2007 0.551 0.866
Jul 2007 0.547 0.858
Jun 2007 0.529 0.83
May 2007 0.544 0.855
Apr 2007 0.556 0.879
Mar 2007 0.548 0.872
Feb 2007 0.554 0.89
Jan 2007 0.563 0.909
Dec 2006 0.555 0.899
Nov 2006 0.555 0.9
Oct 2006 0.568 0.92
Sep 2006 0.55 0.886
Aug 2006 0.565 0.906
Jul 2006 0.561 0.901
Jun 2006 0.549 0.884
May 2006 0.549 0.886
Apr 2006 0.538 0.873
Mar 2006 0.534 0.873
Feb 2006 0.534 0.878
Jan 2006 0.532 0.877
Dec 2005 0.524 0.87
Nov 2005 0.53 0.876
Oct 2005 0.541 0.888
Sep 2005 0.544 0.894
Aug 2005 0.532 0.885
Jul 2005 0.553 0.925
Jun 2005 0.547 0.919
May 2005 0.552 0.928
Apr 2005 0.584 0.981
Mar 2005 0.57 0.964
Feb 2005 0.575 0.98
Jan 2005 0.597 1.023
Dec 2004 0.572 0.982
Nov 2004 0.572 0.979
Oct 2004 0.569 0.974
Sep 2004 0.565 0.972
Aug 2004 0.556 0.959
Jul 2004 0.56 0.966
Jun 2004 0.538 0.927
May 2004 0.528 0.912
Apr 2004 0.503 0.874
Mar 2004 0.504 0.879
Feb 2004 0.487 0.855
Jan 2004 0.482 0.85
Dec 2003 0.482 0.855
Nov 2003 0.49 0.868
Oct 2003 0.463 0.818
Sep 2003 0.461 0.813
Aug 2003 0.454 0.804
Jul 2003 0.451 0.801
Jun 2003 0.428 0.761
May 2003 0.429 0.764
Apr 2003 0.44 0.782
Mar 2003 0.44 0.781
Feb 2003 0.447 0.798
Jan 2003 0.441 0.793
Dec 2002 0.458 0.827
Nov 2002 0.461 0.831
Oct 2002 0.466 0.84
Sep 2002 0.471 0.85
Aug 2002 0.482 0.872
Jul 2002 0.475 0.862
Jun 2002 0.47 0.854
May 2002 0.472 0.858
Apr 2000 0.49 0.935
Mar 2000 0.481 0.918
Feb 2000 0.492 0.947
Jan 2000 0.499 0.966
Dec 1999 0.502 0.975
Nov 1999 0.488 0.948
Oct 1999 0.511 0.993
Sep 1999 0.547 1.065
Aug 1999 0.557 1.089
Jul 1999 0.55 1.078
Jun 1999 0.553 1.087
May 1999 0.551 1.083
Apr 1999 0.548 1.077
Mar 1999 0.544 1.077
Feb 1999 0.54 1.073
Jan 1999 0.551 1.096
Dec 1998 0.543 1.083
Nov 1998 0.539 1.074
Oct 1998 0.542 1.08
Sep 1998 0.544 1.087
Aug 1998 0.536 1.072
Jul 1998 0.54 1.081
Jun 1998 0.536 1.075
May 1998 0.541 1.086
Apr 1998 0.544 1.094
Mar 1998 0.545 1.098
Feb 1998 0.547 1.104
Jan 1998 0.546 1.104
Dec 1997 0.575 1.165
Nov 1997 0.572 1.157
Oct 1997 0.568 1.149
Sep 1997 0.564 1.143
Aug 1997 0.569 1.156
Jul 1997 0.564 1.148
Jun 1997 0.558 1.138
May 1997 0.563 1.149
Apr 1997 0.558 1.138
Mar 1997 0.564 1.152
Feb 1997 0.565 1.157
Jan 1997 0.56 1.15
Dec 1996 0.546 1.125
Nov 1996 0.552 1.137
Oct 1996 0.555 1.146
Sep 1996 0.54 1.118
Aug 1996 0.541 1.124
Jul 1996 0.537 1.118
Jun 1996 0.537 1.12
May 1996 0.548 1.144
Apr 1996 0.538 1.125
Mar 1996 0.556 1.167
Feb 1996 0.552 1.165
Jan 1996 0.552 1.168
Dec 1995 0.553 1.177
Nov 1995 0.535 1.138
Oct 1995 0.535 1.137
Sep 1995 0.523 1.116
Aug 1995 0.526 1.124
Jul 1995 0.519 1.112
Jun 1995 0.518 1.11
May 1995 0.518 1.112
Apr 1995 0.515 1.108
Mar 1995 0.511 1.103
Feb 1995 0.518 1.122
Jan 1995 0.523 1.137
Dec 1994 0.534 1.166
Nov 1994 0.541 1.181
Oct 1994 0.534 1.167
Sep 1994 0.534 1.168
Aug 1994 0.546 1.197
Jul 1994 0.566 1.246
Jun 1994 0.555 1.225
May 1994 0.562 1.245
Apr 1994 0.575 1.275
Mar 1994 0.556 1.234
Feb 1994 0.543 1.21
Jan 1994 0.515 1.151
Dec 1993 0.495 1.109
Nov 1993 0.49 1.098
Oct 1993 0.495 1.11
Sep 1993 0.494 1.113
Aug 1993 0.507 1.144
Jul 1993 0.527 1.193
Jun 1993 0.518 1.172
May 1993 0.518 1.174
Apr 1993 0.522 1.185
Mar 1993 0.525 1.195
Feb 1993 0.53 1.21
Jan 1993 0.526 1.205
Dec 1992 0.525 1.209
Nov 1992 0.536 1.233
Oct 1992 0.543 1.251
Sep 1992 0.542 1.253
Aug 1992 0.537 1.245
Jul 1992 0.54 1.256
Jun 1992 0.52 1.212
May 1992 0.524 1.226
Apr 1992 0.522 1.223
Mar 1992 0.515 1.208
Feb 1992 0.515 1.214
Jan 1992 0.516 1.221
Dec 1991 0.51 1.209
Nov 1991 0.517 1.226
Oct 1991 0.508 1.208
Sep 1991 0.506 1.205
Aug 1991 0.494 1.182
Jul 1991 0.503 1.207
Jun 1991 0.506 1.216
May 1991 0.502 1.21
Apr 1991 0.502 1.213
Mar 1991 0.498 1.205
Feb 1991 0.492 1.193
Jan 1991 0.494 1.199
Dec 1990 0.491 1.199
Nov 1990 0.507 1.238
Oct 1990 0.497 1.217
Sep 1990 0.505 1.244
Aug 1990 0.497 1.234
Jul 1990 0.494 1.238
Jun 1990 0.494 1.243
May 1990 0.496 1.255
Apr 1990 0.497 1.26
Mar 1990 0.502 1.275
Feb 1990 0.476 1.215
Jan 1990 0.501 1.285
Dec 1989 0.504 1.306
Nov 1989 0.497 1.29
Oct 1989 0.513 1.335
Sep 1989 0.52 1.359
Aug 1989 0.509 1.335
Jul 1989 0.514 1.35
Jun 1989 0.486 1.28
May 1989 0.485 1.28
Apr 1989 0.482 1.28
Mar 1989 0.488 1.304
Feb 1989 0.495 1.33
Jan 1989 0.489 1.32
Dec 1988 0.484 1.313
Nov 1988 0.485 1.317
Oct 1988 0.475 1.291
Sep 1988 0.503 1.372
Aug 1988 0.506 1.39
Jul 1988 0.507 1.398
Jun 1988 0.492 1.363
May 1988 0.497 1.382
Apr 1988 0.488 1.362
Mar 1988 0.468 1.313
Feb 1988 0.462 1.302
Jan 1988 0.446 1.26
Dec 1987 0.422 1.195
Nov 1987 0.405 1.147
Oct 1987 0.395 1.12
Sep 1987 0.395 1.122
Aug 1987 0.403 1.151
Jul 1987 0.391 1.123
Jun 1987 0.393 1.132
May 1987 0.395 1.141
Apr 1987 0.398 1.154
Mar 1987 0.394 1.149
Feb 1987 0.411 1.203
Jan 1987 0.416 1.223
Dec 1986 0.434 1.283
Nov 1986 0.432 1.279
Oct 1986 0.436 1.292
Sep 1986 0.434 1.287
Aug 1986 0.443 1.32
Jul 1986 0.453 1.352
Jun 1986 0.446 1.331
May 1986 0.451 1.353
Apr 1986 0.453 1.363
Mar 1986 0.453 1.361
Feb 1986 0.455 1.36
Jan 1986 0.456 1.36
Dec 1985 0.45 1.345
Nov 1985 0.466 1.397
Oct 1985 0.468 1.407
Sep 1985 0.473 1.427
Aug 1985 0.473 1.431
Jul 1985 0.471 1.428
Jun 1985 0.467 1.418
May 1985 0.472 1.437
Apr 1985 0.475 1.452
Mar 1985 0.476 1.462
Feb 1985 0.472 1.455
Jan 1985 0.475 1.471
Dec 1984 0.472 1.465
Nov 1984 0.479 1.487
Oct 1984 0.48 1.49
Sep 1984 0.478 1.488
Aug 1984 0.479 1.498
Jul 1984 0.484 1.519
Jun 1984 0.477 1.503
May 1984 0.471 1.489
Apr 1984 0.471 1.493
Mar 1984 0.476 1.516
Feb 1984 0.485 1.548
Jan 1984 0.484 1.552
Dec 1983 0.479 1.545
Nov 1983 0.474 1.531
Oct 1983 0.473 1.53
Sep 1983 0.475 1.541
Aug 1983 0.468 1.526
Jul 1983 0.475 1.554
Jun 1983 0.469 1.54
May 1983 0.468 1.542
Apr 1983 0.47 1.558
Mar 1983 0.468 1.562
Feb 1983 0.473 1.579
Jan 1983 0.486 1.624
Dec 1982 0.482 1.614
Nov 1982 0.487 1.624
Oct 1982 0.488 1.624
Sep 1982 0.491 1.639
Aug 1982 0.494 1.652
Jul 1982 0.496 1.662
Jun 1982 0.499 1.681
May 1982 0.508 1.733
Apr 1982 0.504 1.736
Mar 1982 0.516 1.784
Feb 1982 0.547 1.89
Jan 1982 0.545 1.889
Dec 1981 0.545 1.895
Nov 1981 0.55 1.918
Oct 1981 0.556 1.945
Sep 1981 0.567 1.988
Aug 1981 0.577 2.043
Jul 1981 0.574 2.048
Jun 1981 0.572 2.063
May 1981 0.575 2.092
Apr 1981 0.572 2.098
Mar 1981 0.563 2.079
Feb 1981 0.554 2.06
Jan 1981 0.551 2.07
Dec 1980 0.539 2.041
Nov 1980 0.52 1.987
Oct 1980 0.519 2
Sep 1980 0.517 2.011
Aug 1980 0.518 2.032
Jul 1980 0.523 2.067
Jun 1980 0.521 2.059
May 1980 0.51 2.037
Apr 1980 0.511 2.062
Mar 1980 0.489 1.995
Feb 1980 0.488 2.021
Jan 1980 0.484 2.033

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