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.

---

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

---

cost of living Cultural  

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

---

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

Downsizing or moving to an area with a lower cost of living.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

But even families living in cheaper areas worried about the rising cost of living after years of rising home prices and inflation on everyday goods.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

The BBC's cost of living correspondent Kevin Peachey explains what to do if you're planning a trip to an area affected by wildfires.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

I’m sure you know this, but I want to emphasize that your cost of living is about to go up considerably.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 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