RM100 in 1988 is worth RM260.61 today
RM100 in 1988 is worth RM260.61 in September 2026. DOSM's Consumer Price Index was 52.8 in January 1988 and 137.6 in September 2026, so prices are 160.6% higher. Put the other way round, what costs RM100 today cost about RM38.37 in 1988.
Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) Consumer Price Index via data.gov.my, compared January 1988 to September 2026.
Try your own amount1988 ringgit in today's money
| In 1988 | Worth in September 2026 |
|---|---|
| RM1 | RM2.61 |
| RM10 | RM26.06 |
| RM50 | RM130.30 |
| RM100 | RM260.61 |
| RM500 | RM1,303.03 |
| RM1,000 | RM2,606.06 |
| RM10,000 | RM26,060.61 |
| RM100,000 | RM260,606.06 |
What RM100 today would have been in 1988
RM100 today (September 2026) buys what RM38.37 bought in January 1988.
How prices moved from 1988 to September 2026
Between January 1988 and September 2026, prices rose 160.6% in total. That is an average of 2.5% a year, compounded.
Prices first reached double their January 1988 level in January 2013, 25 years later.
Inflation in 1988
Prices rose 3.4% between January 1988 and January 1989. That is above the average of 2.7% a year from January 1980 to January 2026. It ranks 15th highest of 46 years with a January-to-January reading.
Inflation in 1988 was faster than 1987 (1.3%) and faster than 1989 (2.7%).
DOSM's published yearly inflation rate for 1988 was 2.5%: 1988's average prices against 1987's.
Frequently asked questions
How much is RM100 from 1988 worth today?
RM100 in 1988 is worth RM260.61 in September 2026, going by DOSM's Consumer Price Index from January 1988.
What was Malaysia's inflation in 1988?
Prices rose 3.4% between January 1988 and January 1989. That is above the average of 2.7% a year from January 1980 to January 2026. It ranks 15th highest of 46 years with a January-to-January reading.
How much have prices changed since 1988?
Between January 1988 and September 2026, prices rose 160.6% in total. That is an average of 2.5% a year, compounded.
Official source, coverage and how this is calculated: see our data methodology →