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 April 2026 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of rice was $1.076, in April 2026.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.484, which is equivalent to $2.072 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 48.06%, an average decline of -1.41% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $2.138, 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
Apr 2026 1.076 1.076
Mar 2026 1.06 1.069
Feb 2026 1.074 1.094
Jan 2026 1.059 1.084
Dec 2025 1.076 1.106
Nov 2025 1.065 1.094
Sep 2025 1.06 1.087
Aug 2025 1.059 1.089
Jul 2025 1.068 1.101
Jun 2025 1.061 1.095
May 2025 1.067 1.105
Apr 2025 1.031 1.07
Mar 2025 1.038 1.081
Feb 2025 1.03 1.075
Jan 2025 1.008 1.057
Dec 2024 1.032 1.089
Nov 2024 1.061 1.12
Oct 2024 1.056 1.114
Sep 2024 1.078 1.139
Aug 2024 1.085 1.148
Jul 2024 1.039 1.1
Jun 2024 1.018 1.079
May 2024 1.002 1.062
Apr 2024 1.025 1.089
Mar 2024 1.014 1.081
Feb 2024 1.001 1.074
Jan 2024 1 1.08
Dec 2023 0.99 1.075
Nov 2023 0.992 1.076
Oct 2023 0.96 1.039
Sep 2023 0.981 1.061
Aug 2023 0.997 1.081
Jul 2023 1.006 1.096
Jun 2023 1.003 1.095
May 2023 0.997 1.092
Apr 2023 0.98 1.076
Mar 2023 0.982 1.083
Feb 2023 0.959 1.062
Jan 2023 0.97 1.08
Dec 2022 0.971 1.09
Nov 2022 0.963 1.077
Oct 2022 0.963 1.076
Sep 2022 0.939 1.054
Aug 2022 0.925 1.04
Jul 2022 0.929 1.044
Jun 2022 0.924 1.038
May 2022 0.909 1.036
Apr 2022 0.9 1.037
Mar 2022 0.871 1.009
Feb 2022 0.83 0.974
Jan 2022 0.832 0.986
Dec 2021 0.82 0.979
Nov 2021 0.844 1.011
Oct 2021 0.788 0.949
Sep 2021 0.798 0.969
Aug 2021 0.784 0.954
Jul 2021 0.782 0.954
Jun 2021 0.778 0.954
May 2021 0.801 0.991
Apr 2021 0.785 0.979
Mar 2021 0.772 0.971
Feb 2021 0.779 0.986
Jan 2021 0.794 1.011
Dec 2020 0.789 1.009
Nov 2020 0.791 1.012
Oct 2020 0.766 0.98
Sep 2020 0.777 0.994
Aug 2020 0.769 0.985
Jul 2020 0.772 0.992
Jun 2020 0.749 0.968
May 2020 0.748 0.972
Mar 2020 0.733 0.946
Feb 2020 0.734 0.945
Jan 2020 0.716 0.924
Dec 2019 0.714 0.925
Nov 2019 0.721 0.934
Oct 2019 0.773 1
Sep 2019 0.797 1.034
Aug 2019 0.793 1.029
Jul 2019 0.798 1.036
Jun 2019 0.801 1.041
May 2019 0.761 0.99
Apr 2019 0.767 1
Mar 2019 0.757 0.992
Feb 2019 0.762 1.004
Jan 2019 0.73 0.966
Dec 2018 0.712 0.944
Nov 2018 0.711 0.939
Oct 2018 0.685 0.902
Sep 2018 0.693 0.914
Aug 2018 0.705 0.931
Jul 2018 0.69 0.912
Jun 2018 0.689 0.911
May 2018 0.698 0.924
Apr 2018 0.685 0.91
Mar 2018 0.682 0.91
Feb 2018 0.691 0.924
Jan 2018 0.682 0.916
Dec 2017 0.711 0.96
Nov 2017 0.712 0.961
Oct 2017 0.723 0.976
Sep 2017 0.741 1
Aug 2017 0.753 1.021
Jul 2017 0.764 1.039
Jun 2017 0.752 1.022
May 2017 0.726 0.988
Apr 2017 0.686 0.934
Mar 2017 0.692 0.945
Feb 2017 0.695 0.95
Jan 2017 0.7 0.96
Dec 2016 0.693 0.956
Nov 2016 0.703 0.97
Oct 2016 0.697 0.96
Sep 2016 0.721 0.995
Aug 2016 0.729 1.008
Jul 2016 0.74 1.024
Jun 2016 0.734 1.014
May 2016 0.747 1.036
Apr 2016 0.703 0.978
Mar 2016 0.711 0.994
Feb 2016 0.707 0.993
Jan 2016 0.709 0.997
Dec 2015 0.711 1.001
Nov 2015 0.732 1.027
Oct 2015 0.69 0.966
Sep 2015 0.662 0.927
Aug 2015 0.669 0.935
Jul 2015 0.673 0.939
Jun 2015 0.691 0.964
May 2015 0.676 0.947
Apr 2015 0.67 0.943
Mar 2015 0.67 0.945
Feb 2015 0.689 0.978
Jan 2015 0.692 0.986
Dec 2014 0.7 0.993
Nov 2014 0.717 1.011
Oct 2014 0.723 1.014
Sep 2014 0.746 1.044
Aug 2014 0.737 1.032
Jul 2014 0.758 1.06
Jun 2014 0.742 1.037
May 2014 0.739 1.034
Apr 2014 0.75 1.054
Mar 2014 0.733 1.033
Feb 2014 0.732 1.038
Jan 2014 0.731 1.041
Dec 2013 0.735 1.05
Nov 2013 0.729 1.042
Oct 2013 0.734 1.047
Sep 2013 0.741 1.054
Aug 2013 0.737 1.049
Jul 2013 0.721 1.028
Jun 2013 0.723 1.031
May 2013 0.702 1.004
Apr 2013 0.724 1.037
Mar 2013 0.714 1.021
Feb 2013 0.708 1.016
Jan 2013 0.715 1.034
Dec 2012 0.714 1.036
Nov 2012 0.704 1.018
Oct 2012 0.685 0.986
Sep 2012 0.684 0.984
Aug 2012 0.683 0.987
Jul 2012 0.681 0.99
Jun 2012 0.681 0.988
May 2012 0.677 0.981
Apr 2012 0.696 1.007
Mar 2012 0.7 1.016
Feb 2012 0.718 1.05
Jan 2012 0.739 1.086
Dec 2011 0.729 1.076
Nov 2011 0.752 1.107
Oct 2011 0.767 1.128
Sep 2011 0.719 1.055
Aug 2011 0.715 1.051
Jul 2011 0.716 1.055
Jun 2011 0.755 1.114
May 2011 0.767 1.13
Apr 2011 0.734 1.087
Mar 2011 0.745 1.11
Feb 2011 0.747 1.124
Jan 2011 0.742 1.122
Dec 2010 0.728 1.106
Nov 2010 0.71 1.081
Oct 2010 0.714 1.087
Sep 2010 0.723 1.102
Aug 2010 0.743 1.133
Jul 2010 0.749 1.144
Jun 2010 0.739 1.129
May 2010 0.746 1.139
Apr 2010 0.759 1.159
Mar 2010 0.764 1.169
Feb 2010 0.759 1.166
Jan 2010 0.754 1.159
Dec 2009 0.751 1.158
Nov 2009 0.768 1.182
Oct 2009 0.751 1.157
Sep 2009 0.76 1.172
Aug 2009 0.752 1.16
Jul 2009 0.756 1.169
Jun 2009 0.766 1.183
May 2009 0.773 1.204
Apr 2009 0.757 1.182
Mar 2009 0.774 1.212
Feb 2009 0.783 1.229
Jan 2009 0.797 1.257
Dec 2008 0.813 1.288
Nov 2008 0.82 1.286
Oct 2008 0.856 1.316
Sep 2008 0.853 1.298
Aug 2008 0.854 1.298
Jul 2008 0.795 1.204
Jun 2008 0.753 1.146
May 2008 0.704 1.082
Apr 2008 0.608 0.943
Mar 2008 0.584 0.911
Feb 2008 0.583 0.917
Jan 2008 0.568 0.896
Dec 2007 0.551 0.874
Nov 2007 0.544 0.862
Oct 2007 0.555 0.885
Sep 2007 0.546 0.872
Aug 2007 0.551 0.883
Jul 2007 0.547 0.875
Jun 2007 0.529 0.846
May 2007 0.544 0.871
Apr 2007 0.556 0.896
Mar 2007 0.548 0.889
Feb 2007 0.554 0.907
Jan 2007 0.563 0.926
Dec 2006 0.555 0.916
Nov 2006 0.555 0.917
Oct 2006 0.568 0.937
Sep 2006 0.55 0.903
Aug 2006 0.565 0.923
Jul 2006 0.561 0.918
Jun 2006 0.549 0.901
May 2006 0.549 0.903
Apr 2006 0.538 0.889
Mar 2006 0.534 0.89
Feb 2006 0.534 0.895
Jan 2006 0.532 0.893
Dec 2005 0.524 0.887
Nov 2005 0.53 0.893
Oct 2005 0.541 0.904
Sep 2005 0.544 0.911
Aug 2005 0.532 0.902
Jul 2005 0.553 0.942
Jun 2005 0.547 0.937
May 2005 0.552 0.946
Apr 2005 0.584 0.999
Mar 2005 0.57 0.982
Feb 2005 0.575 0.998
Jan 2005 0.597 1.043
Dec 2004 0.572 1.001
Nov 2004 0.572 0.997
Oct 2004 0.569 0.993
Sep 2004 0.565 0.991
Aug 2004 0.556 0.977
Jul 2004 0.56 0.985
Jun 2004 0.538 0.944
May 2004 0.528 0.93
Apr 2004 0.503 0.891
Mar 2004 0.504 0.896
Feb 2004 0.487 0.871
Jan 2004 0.482 0.867
Dec 2003 0.482 0.871
Nov 2003 0.49 0.884
Oct 2003 0.463 0.833
Sep 2003 0.461 0.829
Aug 2003 0.454 0.819
Jul 2003 0.451 0.817
Jun 2003 0.428 0.776
May 2003 0.429 0.779
Apr 2003 0.44 0.797
Mar 2003 0.44 0.795
Feb 2003 0.447 0.813
Jan 2003 0.441 0.808
Dec 2002 0.458 0.843
Nov 2002 0.461 0.847
Oct 2002 0.466 0.856
Sep 2002 0.471 0.867
Aug 2002 0.482 0.888
Jul 2002 0.475 0.878
Jun 2002 0.47 0.87
May 2002 0.472 0.874
Apr 2000 0.49 0.953
Mar 2000 0.481 0.936
Feb 2000 0.492 0.965
Jan 2000 0.499 0.984
Dec 1999 0.502 0.993
Nov 1999 0.488 0.966
Oct 1999 0.511 1.012
Sep 1999 0.547 1.085
Aug 1999 0.557 1.11
Jul 1999 0.55 1.099
Jun 1999 0.553 1.108
May 1999 0.551 1.104
Apr 1999 0.548 1.098
Mar 1999 0.544 1.098
Feb 1999 0.54 1.093
Jan 1999 0.551 1.117
Dec 1998 0.543 1.103
Nov 1998 0.539 1.094
Oct 1998 0.542 1.101
Sep 1998 0.544 1.107
Aug 1998 0.536 1.092
Jul 1998 0.54 1.102
Jun 1998 0.536 1.095
May 1998 0.541 1.107
Apr 1998 0.544 1.115
Mar 1998 0.545 1.119
Feb 1998 0.547 1.125
Jan 1998 0.546 1.125
Dec 1997 0.575 1.187
Nov 1997 0.572 1.179
Oct 1997 0.568 1.171
Sep 1997 0.564 1.165
Aug 1997 0.569 1.178
Jul 1997 0.564 1.17
Jun 1997 0.558 1.159
May 1997 0.563 1.171
Apr 1997 0.558 1.16
Mar 1997 0.564 1.174
Feb 1997 0.565 1.179
Jan 1997 0.56 1.172
Dec 1996 0.546 1.146
Nov 1996 0.552 1.159
Oct 1996 0.555 1.168
Sep 1996 0.54 1.14
Aug 1996 0.541 1.145
Jul 1996 0.537 1.139
Jun 1996 0.537 1.141
May 1996 0.548 1.165
Apr 1996 0.538 1.146
Mar 1996 0.556 1.189
Feb 1996 0.552 1.187
Jan 1996 0.552 1.191
Dec 1995 0.553 1.2
Nov 1995 0.535 1.16
Oct 1995 0.535 1.159
Sep 1995 0.523 1.137
Aug 1995 0.526 1.146
Jul 1995 0.519 1.133
Jun 1995 0.518 1.131
May 1995 0.518 1.133
Apr 1995 0.515 1.129
Mar 1995 0.511 1.124
Feb 1995 0.518 1.143
Jan 1995 0.523 1.159
Dec 1994 0.534 1.188
Nov 1994 0.541 1.203
Oct 1994 0.534 1.19
Sep 1994 0.534 1.19
Aug 1994 0.546 1.22
Jul 1994 0.566 1.27
Jun 1994 0.555 1.249
May 1994 0.562 1.269
Apr 1994 0.575 1.299
Mar 1994 0.556 1.258
Feb 1994 0.543 1.233
Jan 1994 0.515 1.173
Dec 1993 0.495 1.131
Nov 1993 0.49 1.119
Oct 1993 0.495 1.131
Sep 1993 0.494 1.134
Aug 1993 0.507 1.166
Jul 1993 0.527 1.215
Jun 1993 0.518 1.195
May 1993 0.518 1.196
Apr 1993 0.522 1.207
Mar 1993 0.525 1.218
Feb 1993 0.53 1.233
Jan 1993 0.526 1.228
Dec 1992 0.525 1.232
Nov 1992 0.536 1.257
Oct 1992 0.543 1.275
Sep 1992 0.542 1.277
Aug 1992 0.537 1.269
Jul 1992 0.54 1.28
Jun 1992 0.52 1.235
May 1992 0.524 1.249
Apr 1992 0.522 1.246
Mar 1992 0.515 1.231
Feb 1992 0.515 1.237
Jan 1992 0.516 1.244
Dec 1991 0.51 1.232
Nov 1991 0.517 1.249
Oct 1991 0.508 1.231
Sep 1991 0.506 1.228
Aug 1991 0.494 1.204
Jul 1991 0.503 1.23
Jun 1991 0.506 1.239
May 1991 0.502 1.233
Apr 1991 0.502 1.237
Mar 1991 0.498 1.228
Feb 1991 0.492 1.215
Jan 1991 0.494 1.222
Dec 1990 0.491 1.222
Nov 1990 0.507 1.262
Oct 1990 0.497 1.24
Sep 1990 0.505 1.267
Aug 1990 0.497 1.258
Jul 1990 0.494 1.262
Jun 1990 0.494 1.266
May 1990 0.496 1.278
Apr 1990 0.497 1.284
Mar 1990 0.502 1.299
Feb 1990 0.476 1.238
Jan 1990 0.501 1.31
Dec 1989 0.504 1.331
Nov 1989 0.497 1.315
Oct 1989 0.513 1.36
Sep 1989 0.52 1.385
Aug 1989 0.509 1.36
Jul 1989 0.514 1.376
Jun 1989 0.486 1.304
May 1989 0.485 1.305
Apr 1989 0.482 1.304
Mar 1989 0.488 1.329
Feb 1989 0.495 1.356
Jan 1989 0.489 1.345
Dec 1988 0.484 1.338
Nov 1988 0.485 1.343
Oct 1988 0.475 1.316
Sep 1988 0.503 1.398
Aug 1988 0.506 1.416
Jul 1988 0.507 1.425
Jun 1988 0.492 1.389
May 1988 0.497 1.409
Apr 1988 0.488 1.388
Mar 1988 0.468 1.338
Feb 1988 0.462 1.326
Jan 1988 0.446 1.284
Dec 1987 0.422 1.218
Nov 1987 0.405 1.169
Oct 1987 0.395 1.141
Sep 1987 0.395 1.144
Aug 1987 0.403 1.173
Jul 1987 0.391 1.144
Jun 1987 0.393 1.153
May 1987 0.395 1.163
Apr 1987 0.398 1.176
Mar 1987 0.394 1.17
Feb 1987 0.411 1.226
Jan 1987 0.416 1.246
Dec 1986 0.434 1.308
Nov 1986 0.432 1.303
Oct 1986 0.436 1.316
Sep 1986 0.434 1.312
Aug 1986 0.443 1.345
Jul 1986 0.453 1.378
Jun 1986 0.446 1.356
May 1986 0.451 1.379
Apr 1986 0.453 1.389
Mar 1986 0.453 1.387
Feb 1986 0.455 1.386
Jan 1986 0.456 1.386
Dec 1985 0.45 1.371
Nov 1985 0.466 1.424
Oct 1985 0.468 1.434
Sep 1985 0.473 1.454
Aug 1985 0.473 1.459
Jul 1985 0.471 1.455
Jun 1985 0.467 1.445
May 1985 0.472 1.465
Apr 1985 0.475 1.48
Mar 1985 0.476 1.49
Feb 1985 0.472 1.483
Jan 1985 0.475 1.499
Dec 1984 0.472 1.493
Nov 1984 0.479 1.515
Oct 1984 0.48 1.518
Sep 1984 0.478 1.516
Aug 1984 0.479 1.526
Jul 1984 0.484 1.548
Jun 1984 0.477 1.532
May 1984 0.471 1.517
Apr 1984 0.471 1.521
Mar 1984 0.476 1.545
Feb 1984 0.485 1.577
Jan 1984 0.484 1.582
Dec 1983 0.479 1.575
Nov 1983 0.474 1.56
Oct 1983 0.473 1.56
Sep 1983 0.475 1.571
Aug 1983 0.468 1.555
Jul 1983 0.475 1.583
Jun 1983 0.469 1.57
May 1983 0.468 1.571
Apr 1983 0.47 1.587
Mar 1983 0.468 1.592
Feb 1983 0.473 1.609
Jan 1983 0.486 1.655
Dec 1982 0.482 1.645
Nov 1982 0.487 1.655
Oct 1982 0.488 1.655
Sep 1982 0.491 1.67
Aug 1982 0.494 1.684
Jul 1982 0.496 1.694
Jun 1982 0.499 1.713
May 1982 0.508 1.766
Apr 1982 0.504 1.769
Mar 1982 0.516 1.818
Feb 1982 0.547 1.926
Jan 1982 0.545 1.925
Dec 1981 0.545 1.931
Nov 1981 0.55 1.955
Oct 1981 0.556 1.982
Sep 1981 0.567 2.026
Aug 1981 0.577 2.082
Jul 1981 0.574 2.087
Jun 1981 0.572 2.103
May 1981 0.575 2.132
Apr 1981 0.572 2.138
Mar 1981 0.563 2.119
Feb 1981 0.554 2.099
Jan 1981 0.551 2.109
Dec 1980 0.539 2.08
Nov 1980 0.52 2.025
Oct 1980 0.519 2.038
Sep 1980 0.517 2.05
Aug 1980 0.518 2.071
Jul 1980 0.523 2.106
Jun 1980 0.521 2.098
May 1980 0.51 2.076
Apr 1980 0.511 2.101
Mar 1980 0.489 2.033
Feb 1980 0.488 2.06
Jan 1980 0.484 2.072

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