Cost of Living - Country Rankings Dataset

Context:

The "Cost of Living - Country Rankings Dataset" provides comprehensive information on the cost of living in various countries around the world. Understanding the cost of living is crucial for individuals, businesses, and policymakers alike, as it impacts decisions related to travel, relocation, investment, and economic analysis. This dataset is intended to serve as a valuable resource for researchers, data analysts, and anyone interested in exploring and comparing the cost of living across different nations.

Content:

This dataset comprises four primary columns:

1. Countries: This column contains the names of various countries included in the dataset. Each country is identified by its official name.

2. Cost of Living: The "Cost of Living" column represents the cost of living index or score for each country. This index is typically calculated by considering various factors, such as housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and other essential expenses. A higher index value indicates a higher cost of living in that particular country, while a lower value suggests a more affordable cost of living.

3. 2017 Global Rank: This column provides the global ranking of each country's cost of living in the year 2017. The ranking is based on the cost of living index mentioned earlier. A lower rank indicates a lower cost of living relative to other countries, while a higher rank suggests a higher cost of living position.

4. Available Data: The "Available Data" column indicates whether or not data for a specific country and year is available.

This dataset is designed to support various data analysis and visualization tasks. Users can explore trends in the cost of living, identify countries with high or low cost of living, and analyze how rankings have changed over time. Researchers can use this dataset to conduct in-depth studies on the factors influencing the cost of living in different regions and the economic implications of such variations.

Please note that the dataset includes information for the year 2017, and users are encouraged to consider this when interpreting the data, as economic conditions and the cost of living may have changed since then. Additionally, this dataset aims to provide a snapshot of cost of living rankings for countries in 2017 and may not cover every country in the world.

Link: https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/cost_of_living_wb/

Disclaimer: The accuracy and completeness of the data provided in this dataset are subject to the source from which it was obtained. Users are advised to cross-reference this data with authoritative sources and exercise discretion when making decisions based on it. The dataset creator and Kaggle assume no responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided herein.

The consumer sentiment index in the United States stood at 53.3 in March 2026. This reflected a decrease of three points from the previous month. A recent low in consumer sentiment was recorded in November 2025, when the index fell to 51 points. The index is normalized to a value of 100 in December 1964 and based on a monthly survey of consumers conducted in the continental United States. It consists of about 50 core questions that cover consumers' assessments of their personal financial situation, their buying attitudes, and overall economic conditions.

In 2024, U.S. households spent on average about 953 U.S. dollars of their total food expenditure on fruits and vegetables. The average annual food at-home expenditure of U.S. households amounted to about 6,224 U.S. dollars in 2024.

Ever wondered how much it costs to live in Tokyo vs Mumbai vs New York vs Lagos?

This dataset tracks the Cost of Living Index across 155+ countries from 2018 to 2026, sourced from Numbeo — the world's largest cost of living database.

Whether you're a student, a remote worker planning a move, or a data scientist building economic models, this dataset has everything you need.

What's inside: - Cost of Living Index - Rent Index - Groceries Index - Restaurant Price Index - Local Purchasing Power Index - Continent tags for regional filtering - 8 years of historical data (2018–2026) - 155+ countries

Perfect for: - Cost of living comparisons across continents - Predicting affordability trends - Remote work and relocation research - Time series analysis and visualization - Economics and data science projects

Data is updated annually from Numbeo. Next update: mid-2026.

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.

Overall inflation stands at 3.3%, but the headline number masks divergent category pressures. Grocery prices are up 33% since January 2020. Auto insurance inflation runs 3.6pp above CPI. Healthcare costs have reaccelerated to 3.2% YoY.

This collection contains data obtained from families of wage earners or salaried workers in industrial locales scattered throughout the United States. The purpose of the survey was to estimate the cost of living of a "typical" American family. The completed questionnaires contain information about income sources and family expenditures including specific quantities and costs of food, housing, clothing, fuel, furniture, and miscellaneous household items for the calendar year. Demographic characteristics recorded for each household member include relationship to head, age, sex, occupation, weeks spent in the household and employed, wage rate, and total earnings.

We adjust SNAP maximum allotments, deductions, and income eligibility standards at the beginning of each Federal fiscal year. The changes are based on changes in the cost of living. COLAs take effect on October 1 each year. Maximum allotments are calculated from the cost of a market basket based on the Thrifty Food Plan for a family of four, priced in June that year. The maximum allotments for households larger and smaller than four persons are determined using formulas that account for economies of scale. Smaller households get slightly more per person than the four-person household. Larger households get slightly less. Income eligibility standards are set by law. Gross monthly income limits are set at 130 percent of the poverty level for the household size. Net monthly income limits are set at 100 percent of poverty.

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.

Graph and download economic data for Cost of Living Index for Massachusetts (M04072US000MAM324NNBR) from Jan 1910 to Dec 1943 about MA, CPI, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Canada: Cost of living index, world average = 100: The latest value from 2021 is 152.25 index points, an increase from 142.12 index points in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 79.81 index points, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Canada from 2017 to 2021 is 147.19 index points. The minimum value, 142.12 index points, was reached in 2017 while the maximum of 152.25 index points was recorded in 2021.

Abstract

C2ER produces the Cost of Living Index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences among urban areas. Items on which the Index is based have been carefully chosen to reflect the different categories of consumer expenditures. Weights assigned to relative costs are based on government survey data on expenditure patterns for professional and executive households. All items are priced in each place at a specified time and according to standardized specifications.

Methodology

The Cost of Living Index measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services in participating areas. The average for all participating places, both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan, equals 100, and each participant’s index is read as a percentage of the average for all places.

The Index does not measure inflation (price change over time). Because each quarterly report is a separate comparison of prices at a single point in time, and because both the number and the mix of participants changes from one quarter to the next, Index data from different quarters cannot be compared. For inflation data, contact the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) at www.bls.gov.

The Index reflects cost differentials for professional and executive households in the top income quintile. Operationally, this standard of living is set by the weighting structure. Homeownership costs, for example, are more heavily weighted than they would be if the Index reflected a clerical worker standard of living or average costs for all urban consumers. (Weights for component indexes appear above column headings—e.g., 15.29% for Grocery Items.)

Because the number of items priced is limited, it is not valid to treat percentage differences between areas as exact measures. Since judgment sampling is used in this survey, no confidence interval can be determined. Small differences, however, should not be construed as significant—or even as indicating correctly which area is the more expensive.

PARTICIPATING AREAS: Areas included in this survey are those where chambers of commerce or similar organizations have volunteered to participate. The number of respondents varies from quarter to quarter, and C2ER makes a continuing effort to expand coverage of metropolitan areas. Any metropolitan area not represented in this report is absent because local organizations have opted not to collect data. C2ER has no data for areas that do not appear in this report.

PRICE REPORTING: C2ER stringently reviews all prices reported, and attempts to eliminate errors and noncompliance with specifications. All price data are obtained from sources deemed reliable, but no representation is made as to the complete accuracy thereof. They are published subject to errors, omissions, changes, and withdrawals without notice.

SPECIFICATIONS: Abbreviated specifications for all items are presented only as a guide to users of this report; far more detailed specifications are contained in the manual that governs pricing, which may be found at www.c2er.org

EXCLUSION OF TAXES: C2ER is fully cognizant that state and local taxes are an integral part of the cost of living, and that tax burdens vary widely not only among states and metropolitan areas, but even within metropolitan areas. Due to the multiplicity of state and local taxes, taxing jurisdictions, and assessment procedures, it is not feasible to calculate local tax burdens reliably. C2ER has opted to produce an index that adequately measures differences in goods and services costs, rather than to produce an inaccurate measure that attempts to incorporate taxes levied on real and intangible property, retail purchases, and income.

TWO SECTIONS OF QUARTERLY DATA:

URBAN AREA INDEX DATA: This section shows each participating area's Composite Index and six component indexes—Grocery Items, Housing, Utilities, Transportation, Health Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services. Places are listed by state. Within each state, places appear alphabetically within metropolitan area, metropolitan division or micropolitan area in the U.S. C2ER has adopted the new 2013 metro and micro area definitions announced by the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Data users who opt to use suburban places as surrogates for central cities should be aware that living cost differences can exist within large metropolitan areas. This caution is particularly important where there are substantial differences in housing costs and/or utility rates.

AVERAGE PRICES: The average price reported for each item in the survey is shown for each participating place. Places are listed alphabetically within state, without respect to metropolitan or micropolitan status. After the final state listing, this section presents the median, average, standard deviation, and range for each item.

Usage

COPYRIGHT POLICY: Each issue of the Cost of Living Index is copyrighted. Printing, transferrin

Consumer Price Index CPI in the United States increased to 330.21 points in March from 326.79 points in February of 2026. 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.

📊 Global Cost of Living Crisis Index 2026 📌 Overview

The Global Cost of Living Crisis Index 2026 dataset provides a comprehensive view of economic pressure across countries by combining key indicators such as inflation, income levels, and affordability. This dataset is designed to help researchers, analysts, and data scientists understand how rising costs are impacting living standards worldwide.

🌍 Key Features Country-wise comparison of cost-of-living conditions Indicators related to inflation and purchasing power Insights into economic stress and affordability Structured for data analysis, visualization, and modeling 🎯 Purpose

This dataset aims to:

Analyze global inflation trends Compare living standards across countries Identify regions facing economic stress Support research in economics, data science, and policy analysis 🧠 Potential Use Cases Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) Machine Learning models (e.g., clustering countries by economic stress) Economic research and policy insights Dashboard creation (Power BI / Tableau) Academic and student projects 📂 Dataset Structure

The dataset contains multiple variables representing economic and living conditions. Each row corresponds to a country, with features capturing different aspects of affordability and cost pressure.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This dataset is compiled for analytical and educational purposes. It may include estimated or aggregated values and should not be used as an official economic source.

🙌 Acknowledgment

If you find this dataset useful, feel free to upvote and share your analysis!

The authors constructed a state cost of living index for the 48 continental United States, measured annually for the period 1960 through 2003 (to update an index for 1960-1995 introduced in the authors' May 2000 Journal of Politics article).

Australia: Cost of living index, world average = 100: The latest value from 2021 is 177.41 index points, an increase from 168.02 index points in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 79.81 index points, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Australia from 2017 to 2021 is 172.72 index points. The minimum value, 168.02 index points, was reached in 2017 while the maximum of 177.41 index points was recorded in 2021.

Finland Cost of Living Index data was reported at 1,960.000 Oct1951=100 in Nov 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1,960.000 Oct1951=100 for Oct 2018. Finland Cost of Living Index data is updated monthly, averaging 978.000 Oct1951=100 from Oct 1951 (Median) to Nov 2018, with 806 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,960.000 Oct1951=100 in Nov 2018 and a record low of 98.000 Oct1951=100 in Mar 1955. Finland Cost of Living Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Finland. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Finland – Table FI.I014: Cost of Living Index: October 1951=100.

Older households have faced slightly higher inflation rates than younger households over the past 40 years, though this gap is narrowing.

Indonesia: Cost of living index, world average = 100: The latest value from 2021 is 53.97 index points, a decline from 54.52 index points in 2017. In comparison, the world average is 79.81 index points, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Indonesia from 2017 to 2021 is 54.25 index points. The minimum value, 53.97 index points, was reached in 2021 while the maximum of 54.52 index points was recorded in 2017.

Italy Cost of Living Index data was reported at 7,726.308 1913=1 in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,642.160 1913=1 for 2016. Italy Cost of Living Index data is updated yearly, averaging 5.167 1913=1 from Dec 1861 (Median) to 2017, with 157 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,726.308 1913=1 in 2017 and a record low of 0.766 1913=1 in 1865. Italy Cost of Living Index data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Italy – Table IT.I030: Cost of Living Index: 1913=1.