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

The cost of living in Tel Aviv isn’t as expensive as New York City, but it isn’t cheap.

From MarketWatch

Bazhanov, who went on to ask about a question about the high cost of living in Russia, was made to wait for his answer.

From Barron's

“A laser focus on the economy and the cost of living is job one,” GOP pollster Winston said.

From Los Angeles Times

The Catholic Church has been heavily involved in providing assistance to those who have suffered in the cost of living crisis.

From BBC

Finance minister Rachel Reeves welcomed the rate cut but acknowledged in a statement that "there's more to do to help families with the cost of living".

From Barron's