cost of living

noun phrase

: the cost of purchasing those goods and services which are included in an accepted standard level of consumption

Examples of cost of living in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While the cost of living in San Antonio is also one of the lowest among the biggest U.S. cities, that lack of income still creates real challenges. —Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

His first tax pitch out the gate — broad tariff increases on America's top trading partners — will likely raise the cost of living for those folks instead. —Emily Peck, Axios, 4 Feb. 2025

Unlike during the 2024 campaign, when Trump billed his economic agenda as a sure-fire way to reduce the cost of living for Americans, the president now is acknowledging what many economists have long forecasted: that the levies could yield higher prices and lower supplies across the market. —Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025

But without further changes that account for the higher cost of living downstate, local schools would receive less state funding than if the formula stayed the same. —Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 29 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

cost of living

cost of liv·​ing

: the cost of purchasing those goods and services which are included in an accepted standard level of consumption