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

To understand what liquidity risk entails, first, we must investigate what liquidity means. On the one hand, it refers to an individual or company’s capacity to meet debts without ...

(1) Return of the principal invested in real estate. It excludes income earned. (2) Collection of a previously written off bad debt. ...

Dehydrated gypsum that is mixed with water to form a rapidly setting material. Plaster of paris sets too rapidly to be practical for most building applications, but it is useful for ...

Underground pit or tank used to store sewage. ...

An individual's bringing a legal action against a defendant. The plaintiff wants relief from the judge against a defendant. An example is investors in a real estate investment trust (REIT) ...

Also called straight bankruptcy. A provision of the 1978 bankruptcy Reform Act providing for a persons property to be divided among creditors to satisfy his/her unpaid debts. Any debtor ...

Easement to build, maintain, and operate a disposal line for sewage. ...

An offset statement defines a specific property owner’s underwritten certificate against their property. The reason behind this action is to set forth the current condition of liens ...

Also called all inclusive trust deed (AITD). A mortgage (trust deed) that encompasses existing mortgages and is subordinate to them. The existing mortgages stay on the property and the new ...

Popular Real Estate Questions