SIP Calculator with Inflation
Enter your monthly SIP, how long you'll invest and the return you expect. You get what it will be worth, and what that money buys in today's rupees once inflation has had its share. Saving for something specific? The goal SIP calculator works back from the goal.
By Hardik Vegad, founder of WealthGamma · Last updated
Your SIP will grow to
₹99.91L
Invest ₹10,000 every month for 20 years at 12% a year. In today's money, that's worth ₹31.15L.
Total you invest
₹24,00,000
Wealth gained
₹75,91,479
Worth in today's money
₹31,15,390
Money grows by
4.16×
How your SIP grows, year by year
- Value
- Value in today's money
- Invested
Year-by-year tableShowHide
| Year | Monthly SIP | Invested | Value | In today's money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ₹10,000 | ₹1,20,000 | ₹1,28,093 | ₹1,20,843 |
| 2 | ₹10,000 | ₹2,40,000 | ₹2,72,432 | ₹2,42,464 |
| 3 | ₹10,000 | ₹3,60,000 | ₹4,35,076 | ₹3,65,299 |
| 4 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,80,000 | ₹6,18,348 | ₹4,89,790 |
| 5 | ₹10,000 | ₹6,00,000 | ₹8,24,864 | ₹6,16,386 |
| 6 | ₹10,000 | ₹7,20,000 | ₹10,57,570 | ₹7,45,545 |
| 7 | ₹10,000 | ₹8,40,000 | ₹13,19,790 | ₹8,77,736 |
| 8 | ₹10,000 | ₹9,60,000 | ₹16,15,266 | ₹10,13,438 |
| 9 | ₹10,000 | ₹10,80,000 | ₹19,48,215 | ₹11,53,145 |
| 10 | ₹10,000 | ₹12,00,000 | ₹23,23,391 | ₹12,97,369 |
| 11 | ₹10,000 | ₹13,20,000 | ₹27,46,148 | ₹14,46,637 |
| 12 | ₹10,000 | ₹14,40,000 | ₹32,22,522 | ₹16,01,495 |
| 13 | ₹10,000 | ₹15,60,000 | ₹37,59,311 | ₹17,62,512 |
| 14 | ₹10,000 | ₹16,80,000 | ₹43,64,180 | ₹19,30,281 |
| 15 | ₹10,000 | ₹18,00,000 | ₹50,45,760 | ₹21,05,419 |
| 16 | ₹10,000 | ₹19,20,000 | ₹58,13,782 | ₹22,88,574 |
| 17 | ₹10,000 | ₹20,40,000 | ₹66,79,208 | ₹24,80,420 |
| 18 | ₹10,000 | ₹21,60,000 | ₹76,54,392 | ₹26,81,669 |
| 19 | ₹10,000 | ₹22,80,000 | ₹87,53,254 | ₹28,93,064 |
| 20 | ₹10,000 | ₹24,00,000 | ₹99,91,479 | ₹31,15,390 |
What is a SIP?
A SIP (systematic investment plan) invests a fixed amount in a mutual fund on the same date every month. It turns investing into a habit that runs on its own, and buys more units when prices are low and fewer when they're high.
A SIP is a way to invest, not an investment. What it grows to depends on the fund you pick and how long you stay.
What does a SIP calculator with inflation show?
Two numbers: what your SIP will be worth, and what that money will buy in today's rupees. A ₹10,000 monthly SIP for 20 years at 12% grows to ₹99.91L. At 6% inflation, that buys what ₹31.15L buys today.
A plain SIP calculator only gives you the first number. The second is the one that tells you whether you can afford the house, the college fees or the retirement you're saving for.
What is the SIP formula with inflation?
Future value = P × [((1 + i)n − 1) ÷ i] × (1 + i)
Value in today's money = Future value ÷ (1 + inflation)years
P is your monthly SIP, i is the annual return divided by 12, and n is the number of months. The extra (1 + i) at the end is there because each SIP goes in at the start of the month and earns that month's return too.
How much will a ₹10,000 SIP grow in 20 years?
At a 12% return, a ₹10,000 monthly SIP grows to ₹99,91,479 in 20 years. After 6% inflation, that's worth ₹31,15,390 in today's money.
- You invest ₹10,000 × 240 months = ₹24,00,000
- It grows to ₹99,91,479, so ₹75,91,479 of it is gains
- Prices rise 6% a year, so ₹1 today costs ₹3.21 in 20 years
- ₹99,91,479 ÷ 3.21 = ₹31,15,390 in today's money
How does inflation change what your SIP is worth?
Inflation turns a 12% return into a 5.66% real return at 6% inflation: (1.12 ÷ 1.06) − 1. Every point of inflation you assume takes a visible bite out of the same ₹99.91L:
| Inflation | Worth in today's money | Lost to inflation |
|---|---|---|
| 4% | ₹45,59,981 | 54% |
| 5% | ₹37,65,683 | 62% |
| 6% | ₹31,15,390 | 69% |
| 7% | ₹25,81,988 | 74% |
₹10,000 a month for 20 years at 12%, worth ₹99,91,479 in future rupees.
How much more does a step-up SIP make?
Raising the same ₹10,000 SIP by 10% every year roughly doubles the result: ₹1,98,88,715 instead of ₹99,91,479. That's ₹62,01,396 in today's money.
You also put in more: ₹68,73,000 over 20 years, with the SIP reaching ₹61,159 a month in the last year. A step-up at least equal to inflation keeps your SIP the same size in real terms, which is the point: your income rises, so your SIP can too. The step-up SIP calculator puts a step-up SIP next to a flat one.
How much does starting a SIP 5 years late cost?
About half the result. The same ₹10,000 SIP at 12% grows to ₹50,45,760 over 15 years, against ₹99,91,479 over 20. You invest only ₹6,00,000 less, but lose ₹49,45,719 of value.
The last five years of a long SIP are where compounding does most of its work. Starting late cuts those years off, and no amount of catching up later puts them back.
Is a SIP or a lump sum better?
If you have the money today, a lump sum grows more, because all of it is invested for the full period. ₹24L invested at once at 12% grows to ₹2.32 Cr in 20 years. The same ₹24L spread as a ₹10,000 monthly SIP grows to ₹99.91L.
Most people don't have ₹24L sitting idle, which is why the SIP exists: it invests your salary as it arrives. A lump sum also carries timing risk, since it all goes in at one price. Many investors do both: a SIP from income, and a lump sum when a bonus or a maturing FD lands. The calculator's "Already invested" field adds money you already hold, or a lump sum you're about to put in, to your SIP. To compare the two routes head to head, use the SIP vs lumpsum calculator.
How much SIP do you need for ₹1 crore?
To have ₹1 crore of today's buying power in 20 years, you need ₹32,099 a month at a 12% return and 6% inflation. That's because ₹1 crore of today's goods will cost ₹3.21 Cr by then.
If you only want ₹1 crore on paper, ₹10,009 a month gets you there. The gap between those two numbers is inflation. The goal SIP calculator runs this for your own target, in today's money.
| Time to ₹1 crore | At 8% a year | At 10% a year | At 12% a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 years | ₹54,299 | ₹48,414 | ₹43,041 |
| 15 years | ₹28,708 | ₹23,928 | ₹19,819 |
| 20 years | ₹16,865 | ₹13,060 | ₹10,009 |
Monthly SIP at the start of each month, no step-up. ₹1 crore in future rupees, before inflation.
What return and inflation should you assume?
For inflation, 6% is a common planning figure for India. The RBI targets 4% consumer inflation within a band of 2% to 6%, so 6% sits at the top of that band and leaves room for a bad decade.
For returns, use a figure you'd be comfortable being wrong about. A fund's past is a guide, not a promise: read its SIP rolling returns to see the range it has actually delivered, not just its best stretch.
What are the most common SIP calculator mistakes?
Most bad SIP plans come from the inputs, not the maths. The five that cost people most:
- Assuming 15% or more. A few great years make it look normal. Plan on a lower figure and treat anything above it as a bonus.
- Ignoring inflation. ₹1 crore in 20 years buys what ₹31.18L buys today at 6% inflation.
- Never stepping up. A flat SIP shrinks in real terms every year. A 10% step-up roughly doubles the result.
- Stopping in a crash. A SIP buys more units when prices fall. Pausing then skips the cheapest instalments you'll ever get.
- Starting from a number, not a goal. Pick the goal first, then work back to the SIP it needs.
What does a SIP calculator not account for?
A SIP calculator assumes the same return every single year. Four things it leaves out:
- Uneven returns. Markets move in bursts. A crash near the end of your SIP hurts far more than one near the start.
- Tax. Equity fund gains held over a year are taxed at 12.5% above ₹1.25 lakh a year; gains within a year at 20%.
- Exit loads. Some funds charge a fee if you redeem within a set period.
- Missed SIPs. A paused or skipped SIP compounds for fewer months.
To see how a SIP you already run is doing against a real goal, WealthGamma's SIP projections and goal tracking use your actual holdings.
Frequently asked questions
Is SIP return calculated monthly or yearly?
Monthly. The annual return is divided by 12 and applied every month, with each SIP paid at the start of the month. Most Indian SIP calculators work this way.
What inflation rate should I use for India?
6% is a common planning figure. The RBI's target for consumer inflation is 4%, within a band of 2% to 6%.
What is the real return on a SIP?
The return left after inflation: (1 + return) ÷ (1 + inflation) − 1. A 12% return with 6% inflation is a 5.66% real return.
How much SIP do I need for ₹1 crore in 20 years?
At 12% a year, ₹10,009 a month reaches ₹1 crore. To have ₹1 crore of today's buying power at 6% inflation, you need ₹32,099 a month.
Should my step-up match inflation?
At least. A step-up equal to inflation keeps your SIP the same size in real terms. Anything above that grows it.
Does it matter if my SIP goes in at the start or end of the month?
A little. Over 20 years, a ₹10,000 SIP at 12% ends ₹98,926 higher if it goes in at the start of each month, because every instalment gets one more month of growth.
Are these SIP returns guaranteed?
No. The calculator assumes the same return every year. Real markets move around, so treat the result as a planning estimate, not a promise.