cost of living

American  

noun

1. the average cost of food, clothing, and other necessary or usual goods and services paid by a person, family, etc., or considered as a standard by the members of a group.

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cost of living British  

noun

1. 1. the basic cost of the food, clothing, shelter, and fuel necessary to maintain life, esp at a standard regarded as basic or minimal

   2. ( as modifier )

      the cost-of-living index

2. the average expenditure of a person or family in a given period

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cost of living Cultural  

1. The average cost of the basic necessities of life, including food, shelter, and clothing.

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Discover More

In the United States, the cost of living is monitored in the consumer price index (formerly called the cost-of-living index), published monthly by the federal government.

Other Word Forms

• cost-of-living
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cost of living

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cost of living

The cost of living is top of mind for voters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Higher oil prices cause inflation that damages the value of bonds, especially longer-dated ones, because a fixed income affords less when the cost of living rises.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

While immigration is a notable issue for Latino voters, the cost of living — and the failure of both parties to improve it — is the most important topic in most households, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Savers may be offered more generous returns, but the spending power of their savings could be eroded by the rising cost of living.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

“We want you to organize a committee against the high cost of living ...” “The high cost of living?”

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright