Definition of "Cost of living"

The definition of cost of living is the amount of money you need to have in order to sustain a certain lifestyle. The cost of living refers to the amount of money you spend on housing, food, gas, and other items. It is an easy way to measure a person's standard of living and cost of living estimates allow for comparison between locations.

Cost of living and lifestyle

The cost of living is an index. A numerical value that shows you if your expenses are high or low. This makes it possible to compare the cost of living between cities, states or countries. The cost of living is highly determined by the area you live in, it’s economy, the job market, and others.

If a city has a high cost of living we consider it an expensive city. On the other end, a city with a low cost of living is a more affordable city. This classification is possible at a larger scale, therefore, counties, states, and nations have a cost of living associated with them.

The standard of living is also impacted by a person’s income. A high income in a city with a low cost of living offers that person a comfortable lifestyle. On the other hand, expensive cities with a high cost of living, means those common items, as well as payments, are going to be higher. That would require a higher salary if you want to sustain the standard of living in an expensive city.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Mortgage that has an interest rate that changes based on some event. For example, the interest rate may vary depending on changes in the prime rate or inflation rate. ...

Also called earnest money. Money deposited with an individual for security for the performance of some contract. This is intended to show his/her willingness to follow through with the ...

The definition of trade-in in real estate refers to a swap of houses. The trade-in program gives a seller of a property the chance to find an ideal replacement home for their family while ...

How much of an investment made in real estate has been recovered expressed in dollars or in percentage terms. ...

A reduction in structural value from all reasons except physical failure. For example, a commercial building having an outdated elevator or electrical wiring system is experiencing ...

A lessening in the inflation rate. This may occur during a recession when insufficient demand prevents sellers from passing on higher prices to prospective buyers of houses. See also ...

The Graduate, REALTOR® Institute is a designation given to real estate agents who have completed the curriculum developed as an educational attainment program by the National ...

Same as term closing: legal process of transferring a piece of real estate to a buyer. Typically it occurs in the office of the lender, attorney, or an escrow company. ...

The term straight note in real estate is also known as a promissory note. A straight note is defined as a loan agreement that generally requires payments of interest only over the term of ...

Popular Real Estate Questions