RM100 in 1981 is worth RM316.32 today
RM100 in 1981 is worth RM316.32 in September 2026. DOSM's Consumer Price Index was 43.5 in January 1981 and 137.6 in September 2026, so prices are 216.3% higher. Put the other way round, what costs RM100 today cost about RM31.61 in 1981.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) Consumer Price Index via data.gov.my, compared January 1981 to September 2026.
Try your own amount1981 ringgit in today's money
| In 1981 | Worth in September 2026 |
|---|---|
| RM1 | RM3.16 |
| RM10 | RM31.63 |
| RM50 | RM158.16 |
| RM100 | RM316.32 |
| RM500 | RM1,581.61 |
| RM1,000 | RM3,163.22 |
| RM10,000 | RM31,632.18 |
| RM100,000 | RM316,321.84 |
What RM100 today would have been in 1981
RM100 today (September 2026) buys what RM31.61 bought in January 1981.
How prices moved from 1981 to September 2026
Between January 1981 and September 2026, prices rose 216.3% in total. That is an average of 2.6% a year, compounded.
Prices first reached double their January 1981 level in May 2005, 24 years 4 months later.
Inflation in 1981
Prices rose 7.6% between January 1981 and January 1982. That is above the average of 2.7% a year from January 1980 to January 2026. It ranks 2nd highest of 46 years with a January-to-January reading.
Inflation in 1981 was slower than 1980 (8.2%) and faster than 1982 (5.1%).
DOSM's published yearly inflation rate for 1981 was 10.0%: 1981's average prices against 1980's.
Frequently asked questions
How much is RM100 from 1981 worth today?
RM100 in 1981 is worth RM316.32 in September 2026, going by DOSM's Consumer Price Index from January 1981.
What was Malaysia's inflation in 1981?
Prices rose 7.6% between January 1981 and January 1982. That is above the average of 2.7% a year from January 1980 to January 2026. It ranks 2nd highest of 46 years with a January-to-January reading.
How much have prices changed since 1981?
Between January 1981 and September 2026, prices rose 216.3% in total. That is an average of 2.6% a year, compounded.
Official source, coverage and how this is calculated: see our data methodology →