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'{{Other uses|The Cost of Living (disambiguation)}} {{Globalize/USA|date=August 2010}} '''Cost of living''' is the [[cost]] of maintaining a certain [[standard of living]]. Changes in the cost of living over time are often operationalized in a [[cost of living index]]. Cost of living calculations are also used to compare the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living in different geographic areas. Geographic differences in cost of living can be measured in terms of [[purchasing power parity]] rates. ==Cost-of-living Adjustment (COLA)== Employment contracts, pension benefits, and government entitlements (such as [[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]]) can be tied to a cost-of-living index, typically to the [[Consumer Price Index]] (CPI). A [[Cost of Living Allowance]] (COLA) adjusts salaries based on changes in a cost-of-living index. Salaries are typically adjusted annually. They may also be tied to a cost-of-living index that varies by geographic location if the employee moves. Annual escalation clauses in employment contracts can specify retroactive or future percentage increases in worker pay which are not tied to any index. These negotiated increases in pay are colloquially referred to as cost-of-living adjustments or cost-of-living increases because of their similarity to increases tied to externally-determined indexes. {{Weasel|date=April 2010}}Most [[economists]] and compensation analysts would consider the idea of predetermined future "cost of living increases" to be misleading for two reasons: (1) For most recent periods in the industrialized world, average wages have actually increased faster than most calculated cost-of-living indexes{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}, reflecting the influence of rising [[productivity]], [[efficiency wages]], and worker [[bargaining power]] rather than simply living costs, and (2) most cost-of-living indexes (see above) are not forward-looking, but instead compare current or historical data. {{citation needed|date=November 2011}} Cost of living allowance is equal to the nominal interest minus the real interest rate. == CPI is not a COLA == When cost of living adjustments, negotiated wage settlements and budgetary increases exceed CPI, media reports frequently compare the two without consideration of the pertinent tax code. However, CPI is based on the retail pricing of a basket of goods and services. Most purchases of that same basket require the use of after-tax dollars &mdash; dollars that were often subject to the highest marginal tax rate. Consequently, the COLA will necessarily have to exceed the CPI/inflation rate to maintain purchasing power. The widely recognized problem known as bracket-creep can also occur in countries where the marginal tax brackets themselves are not indexed &mdash; COLA increases simply place more dollars into higher tax rate brackets. (Only under a flat-rate tax system would a percentage gain on gross income translate into a comparable inflation-offsetting gain at the after-tax level.) Some salaries and pensions in the U.S. with a COLA (they vary by type) include: *[[Social Security (United States)|Social Security]] *[[Civil Service Retirement System]] (CSRS)<ref name="cola wars">{{cite web |url=http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0906/090806rp.htm |title=COLA Wars | date=2006-09-08 |publisher=[[National Journal Group]] |accessdate=2008-09-23 |last=Flanagan |first=Tammy}}</ref> *[[Federal Employees Retirement System]] (FERS)<ref name="cola wars" /> Pensions in Canada with a COLA include: *[[CAW Local 200|Canadian Auto Workers union (CAW) Local 200 (Ontario)]] ==Worldwide Cost of Living Survey== The [[Economist Intelligence Unit]] produces a bi-annual (twice yearly) [http://www.eiu.com/WCOL2012 worldwide cost of living survey] that compares more than 400 individual prices across 160 products and services. They include food, drink, clothing, household supplies and personal care items, home rents, transport, utility bills, private schools, domestic help and recreational costs. The survey itself is a purpose-built internet tool designed to calculate cost-of-living allowances and build compensation packages for expatriates and business travellers. The survey incorporates easy-to-understand comparative cost of living indices between cities. The survey allows for city to city comparisons, but for the purpose of this report all cities are compared to a base city of New York, which has an index set at 100. The survey has been carried out for more than 30 years. The [http://www.eiu.com/WCOL2012 most recent survey was published in February 2012]. For the first time in at least two decades of reporting the worldwide cost of living survey Zurich sits atop the ranking as the world’s most expensive city. An index swing of 3 percentage points pushed the Swiss city up 4 places compared to last year to overtake Tokyo which remains in 2nd place. Geneva, the other Swiss city surveyed saw a 30 percentage point rise in the cost of living to move up six places into joint third alongside Osaka. ==Other uses of the term "cost-of-living allowance"== Stipends or extra pay provided to employees who are being temporarily relocated may also be called ''cost-of-living adjustments'' or ''cost-of-living allowances''. Such adjustments are intended to offset changes in welfare due to geographic differences in the cost of living. Such adjustments might more accurately be described as a per diem allowance or tied to a specific item, as with housing allowances. Employees who are being permanently relocated are less likely to receive such allowances, but may receive a base [[salary]] adjustment to reflect local market conditions. A cost-of-living allowance is frequently given to members of the [[Military of the United States|U.S. military]] stationed at [[United States military bases|overseas bases]] if the area to which a service member is assigned has a higher cost of living than the average area in the United States. For example, [[United States Forces Japan|service members stationed in Japan]] receive a cost of living allowance of between $300 and $700 per month (depending on [[pay grade]], years of service, and number of dependents), in addition to their base pay. This additional pay is non-taxable. ==See also== *[[ACCRA Cost of Living Index]] *[[Consumer Price Index]] *[[Inflation]] *[[Price index]] *[[Cost of Living Allowance (U.S. Military)]] '''Specific:''' *[[List of most expensive cities for expatriate employees]] *[[Middle class squeeze]] *[[Cost of raising a child]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.eiu.com/WCOL2012 Economist Intelligence Unit worldwide cost of living survey results] (requires registration) * [http://www.aier.org/#cost-of-living Cost-of-Living Calculator] relative to time from American Institute for Economic Research (AIER) * [http://www.bls.gov/cpi/cpifaq.htm US Consumer Price Index FAQ] * [http://www.eardex.com Worldwide user provided cost of living information] {{DEFAULTSORT:Cost Of Living}} [[Category:Financial terminology]] [[ca:Cost de vida]] [[de:Lebenshaltungskosten]] [[es:Costo de vida]] [[fr:Coût de la vie]] [[he:יוקר המחיה]] [[ja:公共料金]] [[pt:Custo de vida]] [[simple:Cost of living]]'