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

American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living. — CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026

Increases in the cost of living caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are further making solar panels—as well as electric boda bodas, the motorcycle taxis that ply East Africa’s city streets—more attractive to everyday people. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026

Up to 405,000 left voluntarily, pushed by a volatile political climate and a cost of living that is squeezing even high-earners on six-figure salaries. — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

As the midterm elections approach, the top issue for voters is affordability and cost of living. — Steven Weber, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cost of living

• unforgiving
• almsgiving
• caregiving
• forgiving
• misgiving
• nonliving
• reliving
• thanksgiving
• giving
• sieving

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