# Use CostInflation with AI

Explore published price history, compare quantity-defined baskets across supported cities, and cite CostInflation evidence.

Remote MCP URL: https://mcp.costinflation.com/mcp
Transport: Streamable HTTP. Authentication: none. Access: read-only. No CostInflation account or API key required.
Your AI client may require its own account, plan or administrator approval.

## Capabilities
- search: resolve matching published price categories.
- fetch: retrieve category scope, measured quantities, supported cities and evidence.
- get_catalog: browse or filter the category catalog with pagination.
- get_coverage: inspect available dates, gaps and freshness for selected categories and cities.
- get_price_history: retrieve a category history, actual dates and an interactive history view.
- get_price_matrix: compare measured category quantities across cities with per-cell dates and coverage.
- get_price_changes: calculate changes between two actual date boundaries.
- compare_basket: compare explicit quantities and units with completeness and an editable basket view.
- get_basket_history: calculate fixed-quantity basket totals over time, retaining incomplete dates.
- decompose_basket_change: calculate item contributions to a complete fixed-quantity basket change.
- compare_price_quotes: normalize supplied quotes to compatible units and optionally compare with dated evidence.
- get_history_statistics: retrieve daily-history statistics, ranks, gaps and sample counts.
- get_price_distribution: retrieve published category bands with their dates, counts and weighting method.
- get_package_size_changes: retrieve anonymous matched package and unit-price changes with match coverage.
- render_price_view: present returned view_data unchanged as a line, bars, contribution, matrix or table view.

Calculation tools return structured evidence first. When a visual helps, pass the returned view_data unchanged as data to render_price_view; that tool presents evidence without recalculating it. The original history and basket tools also supply their views automatically. Clients without a view still receive the evidence.
Preserve exact quantities, units, selected cities, actual observation dates and coverage. Incomplete basket totals are unavailable; partial subtotals do not enter complete-basket rankings. Inspect available catalog coverage and tool limits; basket tools accept at most 30 distinct leaf items. Preserve the full requested basket when it or any category is unsupported: use a published composite only when its complete recipe, quantities and actual dates match the comparison, or retrieve the complete dated evidence through the cited public pages and aggregate downloads. Do not silently drop items, ask to change the basket to fit a tool, or claim unsupported tool coverage. Use returned citations. If connected tools are unavailable, discover the relevant canonical page at https://costinflation.com/indices and follow its aggregate JSON or CSV links.

## ChatGPT

Use CostInflation in ChatGPT

1. Open the CostInflation plugin listing in ChatGPT and sign in if prompted.
2. Review the plugin and install it in ChatGPT.
3. Copy your question below, enable CostInflation in your conversation, and paste it when you’re ready.

Connection link: https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6ac15bfa699c81918c2593338db32cb9

```text
In ChatGPT, find CostInflation in the plugin directory. Review and install the plugin, then enable it in your conversation and paste your question.
```

Client documentation: https://developers.openai.com/plugins/concepts/plugins

## Claude

Connect CostInflation to Claude

1. Open the connection link and sign in to Claude if prompted.
2. Review the prefilled CostInflation name and server URL, then add the connector.
3. Enable CostInflation in your conversation, then paste your question below.

Connection link: https://claude.ai/customize/connectors?modal=add-custom-connector&connectorName=CostInflation&connectorUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fmcp.costinflation.com%2Fmcp

```text
In Claude, open Customize → Connectors → Add custom connector.
Name: CostInflation
Server URL: https://mcp.costinflation.com/mcp
Add the connector and enable it in your conversation.
```

Client documentation: https://claude.com/docs/connectors/building/directory-vs-custom

## Cursor

Add CostInflation to Cursor

1. Open the installation link and allow your browser to open Cursor.
2. Review and add the CostInflation remote server.
3. Enable its tools in Agent, then open or paste your question below.

Connection link: https://cursor.com/link/mcp/install?name=costinflation&config=eyJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL21jcC5jb3N0aW5mbGF0aW9uLmNvbS9tY3AifQ%3D%3D

```text
Add this to your Cursor MCP configuration, keeping any existing servers:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "costinflation": {
      "url": "https://mcp.costinflation.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Client documentation: https://cursor.com/docs/mcp/install-links

## Codex

Connect with one Codex command

1. Copy and run the command below in your terminal.
2. Check that CostInflation appears in your Codex MCP settings; the app, CLI and IDE share configuration on the same machine.
3. Open or paste your question below and approve tool use when prompted.

```text
codex mcp add costinflation --url https://mcp.costinflation.com/mcp
```

Client documentation: https://developers.openai.com/codex/mcp

## Claude Code

Connect from Claude Code

1. Run the command below for your current project.
2. Use /mcp to check the connection and approve tools.
3. Paste your question into Claude Code. Add --scope user to the command if you want the server available across projects.

```text
claude mcp add --transport http costinflation https://mcp.costinflation.com/mcp
```

Client documentation: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp

## VS Code

Connect in VS Code

1. Run MCP: Add Server from the Command Palette and choose HTTP.
2. Enter the server URL and the name costinflation; review the configuration and choose where to save it.
3. Enable the server tools in chat and paste your question. For manual setup, merge the portable configuration below into a workspace-root .mcp.json, preserving existing servers.

```text
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "costinflation": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://mcp.costinflation.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}
```

Client documentation: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/agents/reference/mcp-configuration

## Other tools

Use any compatible remote MCP client

1. Choose a remote Streamable HTTP server in your client’s MCP settings.
2. Use the URL below and select no authentication. Review your client’s configuration format before merging settings.
3. Enable CostInflation’s tools, then paste your question.

```text
https://mcp.costinflation.com/mcp
```

Client documentation: https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/develop/connect-remote-servers

## Research skill
Read or install https://costinflation.com/skills/costinflation-price-data/SKILL.md with the included agents/openai.yaml metadata when your client supports skills.
The skill supplies interpretation and citation guidance; connect the MCP separately to enable tools.

## First questions
### Explore price history
Using CostInflation, find the available coffee price histories. Explain the quantities and tracked cities, compare change over the last month where coverage allows, and cite the canonical pages and actual observation dates.

### Compare a basket
Help me compare a basket with CostInflation. First show supported categories, measured quantities and cities, then ask me which items, exact quantities and cities to compare. Report complete and incomplete coverage separately and cite the evidence.

### Research with citations
Using CostInflation, research recent DDR5 RAM price movement in tracked cities. State the unit, available period, observation dates and coverage. Use returned evidence for numerical claims and cite the canonical CostInflation page.

## Evidence and reuse
Keep quantities and units exact, identify the tracked areas and actual observation dates, and cite canonical CostInflation pages near claims.
Report unavailable history or incomplete baskets explicitly. Price movement alone does not establish its cause.
Published terms: https://costinflation.com/terms
Commercial and bulk access: https://costinflation.com/data-partners
Updated: 2026-10-23