cost of living
noun
the average cost of food, clothing, and other necessary or usual goods and services paid by a person, family, etc., or considered as a standard by the members of a group.
Origin of cost of living
First recorded in 1895–1900
OTHER WORDS FROM cost of living
cost-of-liv·ing, adjectiveWords nearby cost of living
cost,
cost center,
cost centre,
cost keeper,
cost ledger,
cost of living,
cost overrun,
cost rent,
cost sheet,
cost unit,
cost, insurance, and freight
Example sentences from the Web for cost of living
British Dictionary definitions for cost of living
cost of living
noun
- the basic cost of the food, clothing, shelter, and fuel necessary to maintain life, esp at a standard regarded as basic or minimal
- (as modifier)the cost-of-living index
the average expenditure of a person or family in a given period
Cultural definitions for cost of living
cost of living
The average cost of the basic necessities of life, including food, shelter, and clothing.
notes for cost of living
In the United States, the cost of living is monitored in the
consumer price index (formerly called the cost-of-living index), published monthly by the federal government.