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

Locating a structure after considering such factors as the homeowner's desired privacy, noise, wind, and sunlight. Position of a structure on a specific location relative to ...

Right of a current stockholder to maintain the percentage ownership in a real estate company by purchasing new shares on a proportionate basis before they are issued to the public. It ...

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a measure of the cost of credit that must be reported by lenders under the Truth in Lending regulations. The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) takes into ...

A person has the option of canceling a contract previously agreed to. ...

Nonprofit entity disseminating advice and data on the best utilization of land. The address is 1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005, telephone (202)289-3307. ...

The definition of a full covenant and warranty deed in real estate is a type of deed that includes a number of specific assurances that certain conditions will be met that go above and ...

Method used by appraisers and investors to evaluate a level of payment income stream for a fixed period of years predicated on a specific interest rate. ...

Cost of the standard unit of area that is used to measure a parcel of real estate. Commercial property rentals are generally quoted on the basis of square foot cists. For example, a ...

Interpreting the objective of a testator in his or her will. The disposition of the testator's estate must be untreatable or it could be legally challenged. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions