West Virginia and Kansas had the lowest cost of living across all U.S. states, with composite costs being half of those found in Hawaii. This was according to a composite index that compares prices for various goods and services on a state-by-state basis. In West Virginia, the cost of living index amounted to **** — well below the national benchmark of 100. Virginia— which had an index value of ***** — was only slightly above that benchmark. Expensive places to live included Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California. Housing costs in the U.S. Housing is usually the highest expense in a household’s budget. In 2023, the average house sold for approximately ******* U.S. dollars, but house prices in the Northeast and West regions were significantly higher. Conversely, the South had some of the least expensive housing. In West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the median price of the typical single-family home was less than ******* U.S. dollars. That makes living expenses in these states significantly lower than in states such as Hawaii and California, where housing is much pricier. What other expenses affect the cost of living? Utility costs such as electricity, natural gas, water, and internet also influence the cost of living. In Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut, the average monthly utility cost exceeded *** U.S. dollars. That was because of the significantly higher prices for electricity and natural gas in these states.

In 2024, Singapore's cost of living index was at ****, compared to that of New York City as a base of 100. This meant that Singapore was about ** percent more affordable than New York City. With a local purchasing power index of ***, residents with an average salary in Singapore are able to afford more goods and services compared to the base city of New York City. In that year, Singapore had the highest cost of living index in Asia.

The capital city of Manila had a cost of living index score of **** in 2024, lower than the previous year. In the Asia Pacific region, Seoul in South Korea had the highest cost of living among other megacities as of 2024.

As of September 2025, Mumbai had the highest cost of living among other cities in the country, with an index value of ****. Gurgaon, a satellite city of Delhi and part of the National Capital Region (NCR) followed it with an index value of ****.  What is cost of living? The cost of living varies depending on geographical regions and factors that affect the cost of living in an area include housing, food, utilities, clothing, childcare, and fuel among others. The cost of living is calculated based on different measures such as the consumer price index (CPI), living cost indexes, and wage price index. CPI refers to the change in the value of consumer goods and services. The wage price index, on the other hand, measures the change in labor services prices due to market pressures. Lastly, the living cost indexes calculate the impact of changing costs on different households. The relationship between wages and costs determines affordability and shifts in the cost of living. Mumbai tops the list Mumbai usually tops the list of most expensive cities in India. As the financial and entertainment hub of the country, Mumbai offers wide opportunities and attracts talent from all over the country. It is the second-largest city in India and has one of the most expensive real estates in the world.

In 2024, three quarters of pre-war migrants in Poland spend more than half of their salary on living expenses. Eighty percent of war refugees did so in 2024, compared to 72 percent in 2022. Additionally, 23 percent of war refugees and 11 percent of pre-war migrants allocated 90–100 percent of their income to daily costs.

Living Cost: Average per Month: CR: City of Sevastopol data was reported at 15,762.000 RUB in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 14,519.000 RUB for 2023. Living Cost: Average per Month: CR: City of Sevastopol data is updated yearly, averaging 14,219.000 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2024, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,762.000 RUB in 2024 and a record low of 11,380.000 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Average per Month: CR: City of Sevastopol data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF001: Living Cost.

In 2024, three quarters of pre-war migrants in Poland spend more than half of their salary on living expenses. Eighty percent of war refugees did so in 2024, compared to 72 percent in 2022. Additionally, 23 percent of war refugees and 11 percent of pre-war migrants allocated 90–100 percent of their income to daily costs.

Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data was reported at 18,080.000 RUB in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 16,819.000 RUB for 2023. Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data is updated yearly, averaging 16,552.500 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2024, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18,080.000 RUB in 2024 and a record low of 13,613.320 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF001: Living Cost.

Tokyo Prefecture had the highest housing-related consumer prices compared to the national average in Japan in 2024. The retail prices of housing in Tokyo reached 127.2 index points compared to the national average of 100 points in Japan.

Luxembourg had the highest average monthly salary of employees in the world in 2024 in terms of purchasing power parities (PPP), which takes the average cost of living in a country into account. Belgium followed in second, with the Netherlands in third.

In 2024, Singapore's cost of living index was at 81.9, compared to that of New York City as a base of 100. This meant that Singapore was about 20 percent more affordable than New York City. With a local purchasing power index of 103, residents with an average salary in Singapore are able to afford more goods and services compared to the base city of New York City. In that year, Singapore had the highest cost of living index in Asia.

Hokkaido Prefecture had the highest retail prices excluding rent compared to the national average in Japan in 2024. Retail prices in Hokkaido were three points above the national average in Japan.

In July 2025, 59 percent of households in Great Britain reported that their cost of living had increased in the previous month, compared with 72 percent in April. Although the share of people reporting a cost of living increase has generally been falling since August 2022, when 91 percent of households reported an increase, the most recent figures indicate that the Cost of Living Crisis is still ongoing for many households in the UK. Crisis ligers even as inflation falls Although various factors have been driving the Cost of Living Crisis in Britain, high inflation has undoubtedly been one of the main factors. After several years of relatively low inflation, the CPI inflation rate shot up from 2021 onwards, hitting a high of 11.1 percent in October 2022. In the months since that peak, inflation has fallen to more usual levels, and was 2.5 percent in December 2024, slightly up from 1.7 percent in September. Since June 2023, wages have also started to grow at a faster rate than inflation, albeit after a long period where average wages were falling relative to overall price increases. Economy continues to be the main issue for voters Ahead of the last UK general election, the economy was consistently selected as the main issue for voters for several months. Although the Conservative Party was seen by voters as the best party for handling the economy before October 2022, this perception collapsed following the market's reaction to Liz Truss' mini-budget. Even after changing their leader from Truss to Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives continued to fall in the polls, and would go onto lose the election decisively. Since the election, the economy remains the most important issue in the UK, although it was only slightly ahead of immigration and health as of January 2025.

In 2024, the average daily cost for adult day health care services in the U.S. stood at 100 U.S. dollars. However, such costs varied greatly from one state to another. In that year, the most expensive state for adult day health care services was by far Oregon, amounting to 284 U.S. dollars a day, while in Delaware daily rates were just 35 U.S. dollars. In the most expensive states, the daily cost of adult day care actually exceeded that of assisted living facilities and sometimes even home health care. The large variation may be in part due to the source using community subsidy rates where available, thus lower rates were reported, while states with higher rates may capture the full private pay rates.

Living Cost: Children: Average per Month: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data was reported at 25,974.000 RUB in 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 23,801.000 RUB for 2024. Living Cost: Children: Average per Month: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data is updated yearly, averaging 22,560.000 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2025, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25,974.000 RUB in 2025 and a record low of 19,201.000 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Children: Average per Month: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF004: Living Cost: Children.

Consumer Price Index CPI in the United States increased to 323.98 points in August from 323.05 points in July of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Consumer Price Index (CPI) - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Living Cost: Pensioners: Average per Month: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data was reported at 23,028.000 RUB in 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 20,067.000 RUB for 2024. Living Cost: Pensioners: Average per Month: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data is updated yearly, averaging 18,667.000 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2025, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23,028.000 RUB in 2025 and a record low of 15,438.000 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Pensioners: Average per Month: FE: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF003: Living Cost: Pensioner.

Living Cost: Pensioners: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data was reported at 15,549.000 RUB in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 14,464.000 RUB for 2023. Living Cost: Pensioners: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data is updated yearly, averaging 14,234.500 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2024, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 15,549.000 RUB in 2024 and a record low of 11,256.000 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Pensioners: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal State Statistics Service. The data is categorized under Russia Premium Database’s Household Survey – Table RU.HF003: Living Cost: Pensioner.

In July 2025, 59 percent of households in Great Britain reported that their cost of living had increased in the previous month, compared with 72 percent in April. Although the share of people reporting a cost of living increase has generally been falling since August 2022, when 91 percent of households reported an increase, the most recent figures indicate that the Cost of Living Crisis is still ongoing for many households in the UK. Crisis ligers even as inflation falls Although various factors have been driving the Cost of Living Crisis in Britain, high inflation has undoubtedly been one of the main factors. After several years of relatively low inflation, the CPI inflation rate shot up from 2021 onwards, hitting a high of 11.1 percent in October 2022. In the months since that peak, inflation has fallen to more usual levels, and was 2.5 percent in December 2024, slightly up from 1.7 percent in September. Since June 2023, wages have also started to grow at a faster rate than inflation, albeit after a long period where average wages were falling relative to overall price increases. Economy continues to be the main issue for voters Ahead of the last UK general election, the economy was consistently selected as the main issue for voters for several months. Although the Conservative Party was seen by voters as the best party for handling the economy before October 2022, this perception collapsed following the market's reaction to Liz Truss' mini-budget. Even after changing their leader from Truss to Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives continued to fall in the polls, and would go onto lose the election decisively. Since the election, the economy remains the most important issue in the UK, although it was only slightly ahead of immigration and health as of January 2025.

Abstract

The Consumer price surveys primarily provide the following: Data on CPI in Palestine covering the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem J1 for major and sub groups of expenditure. Statistics needed for decision-makers, planners and those who are interested in the national economy. Contribution to the preparation of quarterly and annual national accounts data.

Consumer Prices and indices are used for a wide range of purposes, the most important of which are as follows: Adjustment of wages, government subsidies and social security benefits to compensate in part or in full for the changes in living costs. To provide an index to measure the price inflation of the entire household sector, which is used to eliminate the inflation impact of the components of the final consumption expenditure of households in national accounts and to dispose of the impact of price changes from income and national groups. Price index numbers are widely used to measure inflation rates and economic recession. Price indices are used by the public as a guide for the family with regard to its budget and its constituent items. Price indices are used to monitor changes in the prices of the goods traded in the market and the consequent position of price trends, market conditions and living costs. However, the price index does not reflect other factors affecting the cost of living, e.g. the quality and quantity of purchased goods. Therefore, it is only one of many indicators used to assess living costs. It is used as a direct method to identify the purchasing power of money, where the purchasing power of money is inversely proportional to the price index.

Geographic coverage

Palestine West Bank Gaza Strip Jerusalem

Analysis unit

The target population for the CPI survey is the shops and retail markets such as grocery stores, supermarkets, clothing shops, restaurants, public service institutions, private schools and doctors.

Universe

The target population for the CPI survey is the shops and retail markets such as grocery stores, supermarkets, clothing shops, restaurants, public service institutions, private schools and doctors.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

A non-probability purposive sample of sources from which the prices of different goods and services are collected was updated based on the establishment census 2017, in a manner that achieves full coverage of all goods and services that fall within the Palestinian consumer system. These sources were selected based on the availability of the goods within them. It is worth mentioning that the sample of sources was selected from the main cities inside Palestine: Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, Qalqiliya, Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Jericho, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Gaza, Jabalia, Dier Al-Balah, Nusseirat, Khan Yunis and Rafah. The selection of these sources was considered to be representative of the variation that can occur in the prices collected from the various sources. The number of goods and services included in the CPI is approximately 730 commodities, whose prices were collected from 3,200 sources. (COICOP) classification is used for consumer data as recommended by the United Nations System of National Accounts (SNA-2008).

Sampling deviation

Not apply

Mode of data collection

Computer Assisted Personal Interview [capi]

Research instrument

A tablet-supported electronic form was designed for price surveys to be used by the field teams in collecting data from different governorates, with the exception of Jerusalem J1. The electronic form is supported with GIS, and GPS mapping technique that allow the field workers to locate the outlets exactly on the map and the administrative staff to manage the field remotely. The electronic questionnaire is divided into a number of screens, namely: First screen: shows the metadata for the data source, governorate name, governorate code, source code, source name, full source address, and phone number. Second screen: shows the source interview result, which is either completed, temporarily paused or permanently closed. It also shows the change activity as incomplete or rejected with the explanation for the reason of rejection. Third screen: shows the item code, item name, item unit, item price, product availability, and reason for unavailability. Fourth screen: checks the price data of the related source and verifies their validity through the auditing rules, which was designed specifically for the price programs. Fifth screen: saves and sends data through (VPN-Connection) and (WI-FI technology).

In case of the Jerusalem J1 Governorate, a paper form has been designed to collect the price data so that the form in the top part contains the metadata of the data source and in the lower section contains the price data for the source collected. After that, the data are entered into the price program database.

Cleaning operations

The price survey forms were already encoded by the project management depending on the specific international statistical classification of each survey. After the researcher collected the price data and sent them electronically, the data was reviewed and audited by the project management. Achievement reports were reviewed on a daily and weekly basis. Also, the detailed price reports at data source levels were checked and reviewed on a daily basis by the project management. If there were any notes, the researcher was consulted in order to verify the data and call the owner in order to correct or confirm the information.

At the end of the data collection process in all governorates, the data will be edited using the following process: Logical revision of prices by comparing the prices of goods and services with others from different sources and other governorates. Whenever a mistake is detected, it should be returned to the field for correction. Mathematical revision of the average prices for items in governorates and the general average in all governorates. Field revision of prices through selecting a sample of the prices collected from the items.

Response rate

Not apply

Sampling error estimates

The findings of the survey may be affected by sampling errors due to the use of samples in conducting the survey rather than total enumeration of the units of the target population, which increases the chances of variances between the actual values we expect to obtain from the data if we had conducted the survey using total enumeration. The computation of differences between the most important key goods showed that the variation of these goods differs due to the specialty of each survey. The variance of the key goods in the computed and disseminated CPI survey that was carried out on the Palestine level was for reasons related to sample design and variance calculation of different indicators since there was a difficulty in the dissemination of results by governorates due to lack of weights. Non-sampling errors are probable at all stages of data collection or data entry. Non-sampling errors include: Non-response errors: the selected sources demonstrated a significant cooperation with interviewers; so, there wasn't any case of non-response reported during 2019. Response errors (respondent), interviewing errors (interviewer), and data entry errors: to avoid these types of errors and reduce their effect to a minimum, project managers adopted a number of procedures, including the following: More than one visit was made to every source to explain the objectives of the survey and emphasize the confidentiality of the data. The visits to data sources contributed to empowering relations, cooperation, and the verification of data accuracy. Interviewer errors: a number of procedures were taken to ensure data accuracy throughout the process of field data compilation: Interviewers were selected based on educational qualification, competence, and assessment. Interviewers were trained theoretically and practically on the questionnaire. Meetings were held to remind interviewers of instructions. In addition, explanatory notes were supplied with the surveys. A number of procedures were taken to verify data quality and consistency and ensure data accuracy for the data collected by a questioner throughout processing and data entry (knowing that data collected through paper questionnaires did not exceed 5%): Data entry staff was selected from among specialists in computer programming and were fully trained on the entry programs. Data verification was carried out for 10% of the entered questionnaires to ensure that data entry staff had entered data correctly and in accordance with the provisions of the questionnaire. The result of the verification was consistent with the original data to a degree of 100%. The files of the entered data were received, examined, and reviewed by project managers before findings were extracted. Project managers carried out many checks on data logic and coherence, such as comparing the data of the current month with that of the previous month, and comparing the data of sources and between governorates. Data collected by tablet devices were checked for consistency and accuracy by applying rules at item level to be checked.

Data appraisal

Other technical procedures to improve data quality: Seasonal adjustment processes and estimations of non-available items' prices: Under each category, a number of common items are used in Palestine to calculate the price levels and to represent the commodity within the commodity group. Of course, it is