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.

Find out how Australians feel about the increasing cost of living in our latest survey, as well as the latest data from the Cost of Living Index in 2024.

As of September 2024, 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.

Guinea: Cost of living index, world average = 100: The latest value from 2021 is 47.59 index points, a decline from 50.48 index points in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 79.81 index points, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Guinea from 2017 to 2021 is 49.04 index points. The minimum value, 47.59 index points, was reached in 2021 while the maximum of 50.48 index points was recorded in 2017.

In the United States, Hawaii was the state with the most expensive housing, with the typical value of single-family homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range exceeding ******* U.S. dollars. Unsurprisingly, Hawaii also ranked top as the state with the highest cost of living. Meanwhile, a property was the least expensive in West Virginia, where it cost under ******* U.S. dollars to buy the typical single-family home. Single-family home prices increased across most states in the United States between December 2023 and December 2024, except in Louisiana, Florida, and the District of Colombia. According to the Federal Housing Association, house appreciation in 13 states exceeded **** percent in 2023.

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.

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.

Brookdale Senior Living reported $801.58M in Operating Expenses for its fiscal quarter ending in December of 2024. Data for Brookdale Senior Living | BKD - Operating Expenses including historical, tables and charts were last updated by Trading Economics this last July in 2025.

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: Children: Average per Month: CR: City of Sevastopol data was reported at 16,182.000 RUB in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 15,560.000 RUB for 2023. Living Cost: Children: Average per Month: CR: City of Sevastopol data is updated yearly, averaging 15,112.500 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2024, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16,182.000 RUB in 2024 and a record low of 12,276.000 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Children: 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.HF004: Living Cost: Children.

Consumer Price Index CPI in the United States increased to 321.47 points in May from 320.80 points in April 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: Labour Force: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data was reported at 19,707.000 RUB in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 18,333.000 RUB for 2023. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: FE: Zabaikalsk Territory data is updated yearly, averaging 18,042.000 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2024, with 4 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19,707.000 RUB in 2024 and a record low of 14,146.040 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Labour Force: 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.HF002: Living Cost: Labour Force.

This table contains data on the living wage and the percent of families with incomes below the living wage for California, its counties, regions and cities/towns. Living wage is the wage needed to cover basic family expenses (basic needs budget) plus all relevant taxes; it does not include publicly provided income or housing assistance. The percent of families below the living wage was calculated using data from the Living Wage Calculator and the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. The table is part of a series of indicators in the Healthy Communities Data and Indicators Project of the Office of Health Equity. The living wage is the wage or annual income that covers the cost of the bare necessities of life for a worker and his/her family. These necessities include housing, transportation, food, childcare, health care, and payment of taxes. Low income populations and non-white race/ethnic have disproportionately lower wages, poorer housing, and higher levels of food insecurity. More information about the data table and a data dictionary can be found in the About/Attachments section.

Living Cost: Children: Average per Month: Far East Federal District (FE): Republic of Buryatia data was reported at 18,749.000 RUB in 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 16,886.000 RUB for 2024. Living Cost: Children: Average per Month: Far East Federal District (FE): Republic of Buryatia data is updated yearly, averaging 16,006.000 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2025, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18,749.000 RUB in 2025 and a record low of 13,441.000 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Children: Average per Month: Far East Federal District (FE): Republic of Buryatia 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.

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 August 2024, the consumer price index for personal expenses in Brazil increased by **** percent compared to the previous month. Since August 2020, the CPI for personal expenses has remained with a positive monthly variation rate.

Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: Far East Federal District (FE):Republic of Buryatia data was reported at 21,069.000 RUB in 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 18,360.000 RUB for 2024. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: Far East Federal District (FE):Republic of Buryatia data is updated yearly, averaging 17,079.000 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2025, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,069.000 RUB in 2025 and a record low of 13,298.000 RUB in 2021. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: Far East Federal District (FE):Republic of Buryatia 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.HF002: Living Cost: Labour Force.

China Social Assistance: Average Cost of Rural Minimum living Guarantee data was reported at 594.900 RMB/Person-month in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 593.900 RMB/Person-month for Dec 2024. China Social Assistance: Average Cost of Rural Minimum living Guarantee data is updated quarterly, averaging 325.100 RMB/Person-month from Mar 2009 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 65 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 621.300 RMB/Person-month in Dec 2023 and a record low of 84.900 RMB/Person-month in Mar 2009. China Social Assistance: Average Cost of Rural Minimum living Guarantee data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Civil Affairs. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GH: Civil Affairs Statistics.

Geneva, Switzerland, was the most expensive city to buy an apartment in Europe in the first quarter of 2024. The square meter price in Geneva was nearly 15,650 euros in that quarter, about 2,000 euros higher than the second city in the ranking, Zurich. Cost of rent Rents across the major cities in Europe increased significantly in 2023. One of the main factors driving high rents across European cities is the same as any other consumer-driven business. If demand outweighs supply, prices will inflate. The drive for high paid professionals to be located centrally in prime locations, mixed with the low levels of available space, high land, and construction costs, all help keep rental prices increasing. Mortgage rates The average mortgage interest rates across Europe in 2023 were all under five percent, except in Czechia, Romania, Hungary, and Poland. On an individual level, a difference of one percent would most likely mean thousands of euros in interest on the mortgage a person is paying, making timing key in house purchasing. Mortgage interest rates tend to be lower in Nordic countries due to the financial stability and reliability of its borrowers. Other factors that influence the mortgage interest rates include inflation, economic growth, monetary policies, the bond market and the overall conditions of the housing market. More stable markets also tend to have higher average prices.