noun phrase · neutral
cost of living
UK/ˌkɒst əv ˈlɪvɪŋ/US/ˌkɔːst əv ˈlɪvɪŋ/COST·of·LIV·ing
the amount of money needed to cover basic expenses like housing, food and bills in a place
Examples
“The cost of living in big cities is much higher than in rural areas.”
“Many young people move home because the rising cost of living makes rent unaffordable.”
“A small increase in wages might not keep up with the cost of living.”
Band 8 sentence
“Local wages haven't kept pace with the cost of living, which is why many residents commute to cheaper towns.”
Collocations
- rise in the cost of living
- measure the cost of living
- high/low cost of living
Word family
Common mistakes
living cost→cost of living
cost for living→cost of living
the cost living→the cost of living
Say it for a higher band
5living cost→6price of living→7+cost of living
Synonyms
living expenses
Easily confused
price
“The price of bread rose last month, but the overall cost of living increased even more.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Shopping & Money
Learn it with its set