Finance · Interview · 5 min · 25.09.2026 11:15
The interest rate and the real price of a loan
The interest rate is the price of money over time. The higher it is, the more today’s spending costs in tomorrow’s income.
The nominal rate is the percent written in the contract. The real rate is roughly that figure minus inflation.
If inflation is higher than the rate, a saver loses purchasing power, while a borrower repays the debt in “lighter” money.
The central bank’s rate is not the same as your consumer loan, but it changes the price of money for banks, and from there it reaches cards and mortgages.
