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cost of living
noun phrase
: the cost of purchasing those goods and services which are included in an accepted standard level of consumption
Examples of cost of living in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While the overall cost of living in Aruba is slightly higher than in the U.S., rents are about 57 percent lower.
—Pat Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2024
Like many other workers in Southern California, the Disney employees also found their base wages — which went from $20 to $24.15 in January — no match for the rising cost of living.
—Andrea Hsu, NPR, 18 May 2024
But with the cost of living rising and home ownership for young people increasingly out of reach, Republicans hope independent voters will swing to their side this year.
—Mark Wasson, Twin Cities, 17 May 2024
Many immigrants settled south of the city for its cheaper cost of living.
—Aida Ylanan, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
But Jen Young, president of the district’s teachers association and a math teacher at Los Gatos High School, said the teachers who deliver this quality education have been in need of higher salaries due to rising cost of living for some time now.
—Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 15 May 2024
In New York, dance artists are finding their way in a harsh post-pandemic economy, with a soaring cost of living and dwindling funding.
—Siobhan Burke, New York Times, 7 May 2024
Currently, a shortage of inventory has driven up the cost of living in Maui with home prices clocking in at a whopping three times the national average, The Guardian reported.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 May 2024
Most Coloradans now live in an HOA or metro district and nothing has increased the cost of living in this state as much as the excessive taxes imposed by developers through metro districts, which often come in addition to HOA fees.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, The Denver Post, 3 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cost of living.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1796, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near cost of living
Cite this Entry
“Cost of living.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cost%20of%20living. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Legal Definition
cost of living
cost of liv·ing
: the cost of purchasing those goods and services which are included in an accepted standard level of consumption
More from Merriam-Webster on cost of living
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cost of living
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