cost of living: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighFormal, journalistic, academic, business
Quick answer
What does “cost of living” mean?
The amount of money needed to sustain a basic standard of living in a specific place and time, covering essential expenses like housing, food, and utilities.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The amount of money needed to sustain a basic standard of living in a specific place and time, covering essential expenses like housing, food, and utilities.
A socio-economic measure of the financial burden on individuals or households, often used to compare the affordability of different geographic locations and to calculate wage adjustments.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Both varieties use the term identically.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term has neutral to negative connotations, associated with financial pressure.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties, especially in news and policy discussions.
Grammar
How to Use “cost of living” in a Sentence
The cost of living in [PLACE] is [ADJECTIVE].A sharp rise in the cost of living.To cope with the cost of living.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cost of living” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new tax will cost them a significant portion of their living allowance.
- How much does it cost you to live in London?
American English
- Rising rents are costing us more than we budgeted for living expenses.
- It costs a fortune just to live in this city.
adjective
British English
- The cost-of-living crisis is the main topic in the election.
- She received a cost-of-living pay increase.
American English
- The cost-of-living index is published monthly.
- They are struggling with cost-of-living pressures.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in HR for salary benchmarking and compensation packages.
Academic
Used in economics and sociology to analyse purchasing power and social inequality.
Everyday
Used in conversations about personal finance, budgeting, and relocation decisions.
Technical
Used in government statistics (e.g., Consumer Price Index) and financial planning models.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cost of living”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cost of living”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cost of living”
- Using it as a plural ('costs of living') when referring to the general economic measure.
- Confusing it with 'standard of living', which refers to quality of life.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Cost of living' refers to the expense of basic needs. 'Standard of living' refers to the level of wealth, comfort, and material goods available.
Rarely. The fixed phrase is almost always singular ('cost of living') when referring to the general economic concept. 'Costs of living' might be used in a very specific, literal sense about multiple types of expenses, but it is non-standard in economics.
It is typically measured by a Consumer Price Index (CPI) or a specific cost-of-living index, which tracks the prices of a basket of common goods and services.
No, it is an uncountable noun phrase. You do not say 'two cost of livings'. You would say 'the cost of living in two different cities'.
The amount of money needed to sustain a basic standard of living in a specific place and time, covering essential expenses like housing, food, and utilities.
Cost of living is usually formal, journalistic, academic, business in register.
Cost of living: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒst əv ˈlɪv.ɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɔːst əv ˈlɪv.ɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cost-of-living crisis”
- “Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the COST you need to pay just to keep LIVING (housing, food, bills) in a certain city.
Conceptual Metaphor
FINANCIAL BURDEN IS A WEIGHT (e.g., 'The high cost of living is a heavy load for families.')
Practice
Quiz
What does 'cost of living' primarily refer to?