A CNN cost-of-living calculator explains these differences: Thanks to significantly lower prices for groceries, housing, transportation and utilities, the cost of living in Chapel Hill, N.C., for ...

See how cost of living indexes provide info on essential costs associated with different areas of the U.S., plus the Social Security Administration's COLA for 2025.

According to this organization, the cost of living index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumption expenses.

For instance, many cost of living calculators will use the regional price of a gallon of gasoline to compare transportation costs. But in some cities, commuters may opt for public transit instead.

The ACCRA Cost of Living Index provides points of comparison between two geographic areas at a single point in time. It has little statistical value in terms of tracking prices over time , or ...

A listener writes: “If you make the minimum wage $15/hour, it’s not enough in New York and it’s way too much in Peoria. Would it be possible to tie the minimum wage to the cost of living?” ...