If You Invested ₹1,000 Years Ago — Gold, Sensex, Nifty, Chennai Real Estate, Bitcoin Today
What ₹1,000 invested 5, 10, 20, 25 or 30 years ago in gold, silver, Sensex, Nifty 50, Chennai real estate, Bitcoin or PPF is worth today — with yearly returns (CAGR) and inflation. In English & Tamil.
Enter an amount above zero and a month that is at least a month ago.
What it is worth today
- Best · a year · after inflation(Did not beat inflation)
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Past returns, from published prices. They are not a guide to future returns and not financial advice. Gold and silver are international prices in rupees, so jewellery prices in India — with import duty, GST and making charges — will be higher.
| Investment | 5 years ago October 2021 | 10 years ago October 2016 | 20 years ago October 2006 | 25 years ago October 2001 | 30 years ago October 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | ₹2,863 23.4% a year | ₹4,509 16.3% a year | ₹14,346 14.2% a year | ₹28,022 14.3% a year | ₹27,933 11.7% a year |
| Silver | ₹2,924 23.9% a year | ₹4,353 15.8% a year | ₹9,785 12.1% a year | ₹24,256 13.6% a year | ₹29,076 11.9% a year |
| BSE Sensex | ₹1,233 4.3% a year | ₹2,617 10.1% a year | ₹5,641 9.0% a year | ₹24,461 13.6% a year | — |
| Nifty 50 | ₹1,279 5.0% a year | ₹2,616 10.1% a year | ₹6,036 9.4% a year | ₹23,253 13.4% a year | ₹24,855 11.3% a year |
| Chennai real estate | ₹1,395 6.9% a year | ₹2,016 7.3% a year | ₹4,485 7.8% a year | ₹6,901 8.0% a year | ₹10,943 8.3% a year |
| Bitcoin | ₹1,654 10.6% a year | ₹1,62,653 66.4% a year | — | — | — |
| PPF | ₹1,409 7.1% a year | ₹2,035 7.4% a year | ₹4,523 7.8% a year | ₹6,747 7.9% a year | ₹11,612 8.5% a year |
Prices as of 25 October 2026
How the calculator works
For each investment, the value today is simply:
value today = amount × (price today ÷ price in the month you invested)
The yearly return is the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the same months, and the return after inflation divides out the rise in India’s consumer price index.
Where the prices come from
| Investment | What is used | Monthly history from |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | World Bank monthly average price × the monthly USD/INR rate (US Federal Reserve), per 10 g | January 1990 |
| Silver | World Bank monthly average × USD/INR, per kg | January 1990 |
| BSE Sensex | Month-end close of the index | July 1997 |
| Nifty 50 | Month-end close of the index (NSE) | November 1995 |
| Chennai real estate | An estimate: the average residential price per sq ft across Chennai, taken back from Knight Frank’s 2026 figure at 7-10% a year, faster in earlier decades (not an official index) | January 1990 |
| Bitcoin | Month-end price in rupees | September 2014 |
| PPF | The Government’s notified PPF interest rate for each month | January 1990 |
| Inflation | Consumer price index for India (OECD, then MOSPI CPI Combined) | January 1990 |
The most recent month uses the latest price, so “today” really is today.
Reading the results
- A bigger number is not always better for you. Shares and Bitcoin have risen more over some periods, but they have also fallen sharply — Bitcoin has lost more than half its value in a year several times.
- Starting month matters. Gold bought in 2011–12, near a peak, grew slowly for years; the Sensex bought in early 2008 took years to recover. Try a few months to see the range.
- Lump sum, not SIP. These figures are for one amount invested once and left alone.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out what ₹1,000 invested years ago is worth today?
Enter the amount and choose when it was invested — 5, 10, 20, 25 or 30 years ago, or any month since 1990. The calculator divides today’s price by the price in that month for each investment and multiplies by your amount. The tables on this page show the answer for ₹1,000.
Which has given better returns in India: gold or the Sensex?
It depends on the period. Over most 20- and 30-year periods the Sensex and gold have both grown well ahead of inflation, and each has had long spells of beating the other. Choose a starting month above to see the two side by side, or open the year-by-year pages for gold and the Sensex.
What is CAGR?
Compound annual growth rate: the steady yearly return that would turn the starting amount into today’s value over the same number of years. ₹1,000 that becomes ₹10,000 in 20 years has a CAGR of about 12.2% a year.
What does “after inflation” mean?
The return left after rising prices. India’s consumer price index (CPI) shows how much prices rose over the same months; an investment that grew 10% a year while prices rose 6% a year made about 3.8% a year after inflation.
Why is the gold price lower than in my jeweller's shop?
The calculator uses the international gold and silver price converted to rupees. Prices in India add import duty and 3% GST, and jewellery adds making charges. The duty has changed over the years, but the return over time is close to the Indian price’s.
Do the Sensex and Nifty returns include dividends?
No. They follow the index level, which leaves out dividends. With dividends reinvested, returns would be roughly 1 to 1.5 percentage points a year higher.
How is Chennai real estate worked out?
It is an estimate, not an official index: the average price of residential property across Chennai per square foot, Knight Frank’s latest Chennai average (about ₹7,715 per sq ft in 2026) taken back at 7% a year since 2020, 8% in the 2010s, 9% in the 2000s and 10% in the 1990s - so prices grew about 4.5 times in the last 20 years. Your own area can differ a lot - central areas such as Anna Nagar or T. Nagar cost two to three times the city average - and rent, stamp duty and upkeep are not included.
Why is Bitcoin missing for 20 or 30 years?
Bitcoin started in 2009, and reliable rupee prices begin in September 2014, so it is only compared for periods since then. Its price has also swung far more than any of the others.
How is PPF worked out?
₹1,000 grows at the Public Provident Fund rate the Government set for each month — 12% until 1999, 8% for most of the 2000s and 7.1% since April 2020 — compounded. A real PPF account credits interest once a year and has a 15-year lock-in, so treat it as a guide.
How often are the prices updated?
Prices are refreshed regularly from their sources; the date of the latest price is shown with the results. The month-by-month history goes back to 1990 (Nifty 50 from November 1995, Sensex from July 1997, Bitcoin from September 2014).