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.

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standard of living British  

noun

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

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standard of living Cultural  

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

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Etymology

Origin of standard of living

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

After doing the math, she realized that maintaining the standard of living she enjoyed with her husband required a drastic change: returning to work, significantly cutting expenses for herself and her children, or both.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some people are now returning to the area after stints in more expensive regions—in some cases bringing their salaries with them and immediately improving their standard of living.

From The Wall Street Journal

While that is undeniably an important factor, we know other expats here in Cuenca sharing a similar standard of living whose budgets far exceed ours.

From MarketWatch

“It’s a big world with many countries having large populations that aspire to a better standard of living. Globalization isn’t dead,” Yardeni Research wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal

Few displaced workers received help making the transition to new jobs, and many suffered a decline in their standard of living, laying the foundation for an era of populist resentment.

From The Wall Street Journal