Oil Price Change Calculator: WTI and Brent Between Any Two Months
This calculator compares EIA monthly average spot prices for WTI (from January 1986) or Brent (from May 1987) between two months. It reports the change in dollars per barrel and in percent, and a compound annual rate when the span is at least one year and both prices are positive. Every result is shown in nominal dollars and in September 2026 dollars, adjusted with CPI-U.
Calculator
| Measure | Nominal | In September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|
| January 2000 average | $27.26 | $54.41 |
| September 2026 average | $97.31 | $97.31 |
| Change, $/bbl | +$70.05 | +$42.90 |
| Change, % | +257.0% | +78.8% |
| Annualized rate (compound) | +4.89% | +2.20% |
| Span | 26.67 years | |
Real values = nominal × CPI-U(September 2026) ÷ CPI-U(month).
From January 1986 to September 2026, WTI's monthly average went from $22.93 to $97.31, a nominal change of +324.4% or +3.62% a year compounded. In September 2026 dollars the same span runs from $70.49 to $97.31, +38.0% in total and +0.80% a year. Over the ten years to September 2026, WTI changed +115.4% nominally and +54.3% after inflation.
Change to September 2026 over standard periods
| From | WTI then | WTI change | WTI % | WTI annualized | WTI real annualized | Brent % | Brent real annualized |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | $63.96 | +$33.35 | +52.1% | +52.14% | +46.66% | +67.9% | +61.86% |
| September 2021 | $71.65 | +$25.66 | +35.8% | +6.31% | +2.03% | +53.3% | +4.53% |
| September 2016 | $45.18 | +$52.13 | +115.4% | +7.97% | +4.43% | +145.1% | +5.79% |
| September 2006 | $63.80 | +$33.51 | +52.5% | +2.13% | −0.42% | +84.2% | +0.52% |
| September 1996 | $23.97 | +$73.34 | +306.0% | +4.78% | +2.16% | +404.5% | +2.91% |
| January 1986 | $22.93 | +$74.38 | +324.4% | +3.62% | +0.80% | — | — |
— : Brent has no monthly average before May 1987. September 2026 is the latest month with an EIA-published monthly average.
Method
Inputs are EIA's published monthly average spot prices (series RWTC and RBRTE, $/bbl). The current month, which EIA has not yet averaged, uses the mean of daily prices published so far and is marked “to date”. Percent change = (end − start) ÷ start. Annualized rate = (end ÷ start)1/years − 1, with years measured as months ÷ 12; it is not shown for spans under a year, where it would extrapolate, or when either price is zero or negative.
Real figures restate each month's price with CPI-U: real = nominal × CPI-U(September 2026) ÷ CPI-U(month). Daily prices for any month are on the price history pages; see also the inflation calculator.
Source and methodology
| Provider | Series | Units | Coverage | Latest observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RWTC — WTI spot price FOB (monthly) | $/bbl | 1986-01 onward | September 2026 |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration | RBRTE — Brent spot price FOB (monthly) | $/bbl | 1987-05 onward | September 2026 |
| U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | CUUR0000SA0 — CPI-U, all items, NSA | index, 1982–84=100 | monthly | September 2026 |
Last updated: Oct 21, 2026, 5:44 PM CDT. Raw values are shown in source units; any conversion is labeled. See methodology and data sources.
Download:Monthly averages (CSV)