standard of living

American  

noun

1. a grade or level of subsistence and comfort in everyday life enjoyed by a community, class, or individual.

   The well-educated generally have a high standard of living.

---

standard of living British  

noun

1. a level of subsistence or material welfare of a community, class, or person

---

standard of living Cultural  

1. A term describing the amount of goods and services that an average family or individual views as necessary.

---

Etymology

Origin of standard of living

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

The trade body estimates the level of income needed to have a minimum, moderate or comfortable standard of living as a pensioner each year.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

They argue consumers are just running in place; higher inflation means their standard of living isn’t getting any better.

From MarketWatch • May 16, 2026

Extracting oil and gas could be dirty and dangerous but huge profits drove up wages, property prices and the standard of living in north-east Scotland.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Officials said they would use this additional fiscal firepower on measures to raise the country’s standard of living, and help households deal with pocketbook strains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

He was almost always hungry, but that skillful hunter the cat kept him provided with food which, while scarcely ever satisfying, was adequate by his new standard of living.

From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford