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 June 2025, 62 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.

Living Cost: Average per Month: NC: Republic of Ingushetia data was reported at 10,353.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,336.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Average per Month: NC: Republic of Ingushetia data is updated quarterly, averaging 4,872.500 RUB from Mar 2001 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 80 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,571.000 RUB in Jun 2020 and a record low of 1,121.000 RUB in Mar 2001. Living Cost: Average per Month: NC: Republic of Ingushetia 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: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Crimea data was reported at 11,074.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 10,945.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Crimea data is updated quarterly, averaging 9,798.500 RUB from Sep 2014 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,074.000 RUB in Dec 2020 and a record low of 5,786.000 RUB in Sep 2014. Living Cost: Average per Month: SF: Republic of Crimea 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.

Russia Living Cost: Average per Month: Children: Annual data was reported at 13,944.000 RUB in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 12,274.000 RUB for 2022. Russia Living Cost: Average per Month: Children: Annual data is updated yearly, averaging 12,274.000 RUB from Dec 2021 (Median) to 2023, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13,944.000 RUB in 2023 and a record low of 11,303.000 RUB in 2021. Russia Living Cost: Average per Month: Children: Annual 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: Average per Month: FE: Chukotka Area data was reported at 23,999.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 23,860.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Chukotka Area data is updated quarterly, averaging 11,724.000 RUB from Jun 2003 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 71 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 23,999.000 RUB in Dec 2020 and a record low of 5,744.000 RUB in Dec 2003. Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Chukotka Area 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.

The average for 2021 based on 165 countries was 79.81 index points. The highest value was in Bermuda: 212.7 index points and the lowest value was in Syria: 33.25 index points. The indicator is available from 2017 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Inflation is generally defined as the continued increase in the average prices of goods and services in a given region. Following the extremely high global inflation experienced in the 1980s and 1990s, global inflation has been relatively stable since the turn of the millennium, usually hovering between three and five percent per year. There was a sharp increase in 2008 due to the global financial crisis now known as the Great Recession, but inflation was fairly stable throughout the 2010s, before the current inflation crisis began in 2021. Recent years Despite the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the global inflation rate fell to 3.26 percent in the pandemic's first year, before rising to 4.66 percent in 2021. This increase came as the impact of supply chain delays began to take more of an effect on consumer prices, before the Russia-Ukraine war exacerbated this further. A series of compounding issues such as rising energy and food prices, fiscal instability in the wake of the pandemic, and consumer insecurity have created a new global recession, and global inflation in 2024 is estimated to have reached 5.76 percent. This is the highest annual increase in inflation since 1996. Venezuela Venezuela is the country with the highest individual inflation rate in the world, forecast at around 200 percent in 2022. While this is figure is over 100 times larger than the global average in most years, it actually marks a decrease in Venezuela's inflation rate, which had peaked at over 65,000 percent in 2018. Between 2016 and 2021, Venezuela experienced hyperinflation due to the government's excessive spending and printing of money in an attempt to curve its already-high inflation rate, and the wave of migrants that left the country resulted in one of the largest refugee crises in recent years. In addition to its economic problems, political instability and foreign sanctions pose further long-term problems for Venezuela. While hyperinflation may be coming to an end, it remains to be seen how much of an impact this will have on the economy, how living standards will change, and how many refugees may return in the coming years.

Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Amur Region data was reported at 13,530.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 13,281.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Amur Region data is updated quarterly, averaging 7,939.000 RUB from Dec 2001 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 77 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13,530.000 RUB in Dec 2020 and a record low of 1,889.000 RUB in Dec 2001. Living Cost: Average per Month: FE: Amur Region 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, assisted living facilities in the U.S. cost a median of 70,800 U.S. dollars per year, an increase of 10 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, a semi-private room and private room in a nursing home increased 7 and 9 percent respectively compared to last year. Long-term care can be provided in various environments. Assisted living facilities (ALF) are for those who may need assistance with daily living and provide both personal care and health services. Nursing home facilities provide more extensive services than ALFs, including medical care.

In 2023, the average annual expenditure of consumer units in the United States increased by 5.9 percent when compared to 2022. The average annual expenditures of apparel and services increased by 4.9 percent during the same timeframe.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Mean Real Household Wages Adjusted by Cost of Living for Utah County, UT (MWACL49049) from 2009 to 2023 about Utah County, UT; Provo; UT; adjusted; average; wages; real; and USA.

Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: FE: Amur Region data was reported at 14,331.000 RUB in Dec 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 14,104.000 RUB for Sep 2020. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: FE: Amur Region data is updated quarterly, averaging 8,471.000 RUB from Dec 2001 (Median) to Dec 2020, with 77 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14,331.000 RUB in Dec 2020 and a record low of 2,021.000 RUB in Dec 2001. Living Cost: Labour Force: Average per Month: FE: Amur Region 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.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Mean Real Household Wages Adjusted by Cost of Living for Denver County, CO (MWACL08031) from 2009 to 2023 about Denver County, CO; Denver; adjusted; CO; average; wages; real; and USA.

Annual indexes for major components and special aggregates of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), for Canada, provinces, Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit. Data are presented for the last five years. The base year for the index is 2002=100.

As of 2024, the median cost for a private room in an assisted living facility in the United States amounted to 70,800 U.S. dollars annually. This was a roughly 85 percent increase compared to prices in 2010. By 2030, assisted living residents can expect to pay nearly 84,539 U.S. dollars annually. Not to mention, facilities often have many additional fees, such as one-off entrance fees, fees for medication reminders, fees for more care, etc.

In 2023, the U.S. Consumer Price Index was 309.42, and is projected to increase to 352.27 by 2029. The base period was 1982-84. The monthly CPI for all urban consumers in the U.S. can be accessed here. After a time of high inflation, the U.S. inflation rateis projected fall to two percent by 2027. United States Consumer Price Index ForecastIt is projected that the CPI will continue to rise year over year, reaching 325.6 in 2027. The Consumer Price Index of all urban consumers in previous years was lower, and has risen every year since 1992, except in 2009, when the CPI went from 215.30 in 2008 to 214.54 in 2009. The monthly unadjusted Consumer Price Index was 296.17 for the month of August in 2022. The U.S. CPI measures changes in the price of consumer goods and services purchased by households and is thought to reflect inflation in the U.S. as well as the health of the economy. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the CPI and defines it as, "a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services." The BLS records the price of thousands of goods and services month by month. They consider goods and services within eight main categories: food and beverage, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation, education, and other goods and services. They aggregate the data collected in order to compare how much it would cost a consumer to buy the same market basket of goods and services within one month or one year compared with the previous month or year. Given that the CPI is used to calculate U.S. inflation, the CPI influences the annual adjustments of many financial institutions in the United States, both private and public. Wages, social security payments, and pensions are all affected by the CPI.

Graph and download economic data for Inflation, consumer prices for the United States (FPCPITOTLZGUSA) from 1960 to 2024 about consumer, CPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Cost of Living: Average per Capita: Region: Mangistauskaya data was reported at 34,269.000 KZT in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 32,317.000 KZT for May 2018. Cost of Living: Average per Capita: Region: Mangistauskaya data is updated monthly, averaging 16,264.000 KZT from Oct 2000 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 213 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34,269.000 KZT in Jun 2018 and a record low of 5,336.000 KZT in Oct 2000. Cost of Living: Average per Capita: Region: Mangistauskaya data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Agency of Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kazakhstan – Table KZ.H012: Cost of Living: Average per Capita.

This indicator is defined as the ratio of the average house price (detached, semi-detached, terraced, flat/maisonette) in a local authority to the average, gross, full time annual earnings in a local authority. The purpose of this indicator is to monitor progress towards improving housing opportunities and affordable housing. It measures the relationship between average full time earnings and average house prices within an area and therefore provides an indication of how affordable housing is in that area. The ratio using residence based earnings information measures how affordable housing is for those living in the area, the indicator using workplace earnings information measures how affordable local housing is for those working in the area. The two together provide a picture of the different circumstances of those living or working in an area. Monitored over time this indicator will measure how quickly housing costs are increasing relative to the increase in average earnings. The indicator has limitations as it does not measure the affordability of privately rented or social housing. In addition, it only measures the income of people working full time and excludes part time workers, those who are self-employed and those claiming benefits. Information on those claiming benefits are measured by indicators 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.6 in the local basket of inequalities indicators. Nevertheless this indicator provides an indication of the overall housing opportunities in an area. This indicator has been discontinued and so there will be no further updates. Legacy unique identifier: P01086