Cost of living is the consolidated expenses of accomodation, utilities, food and living, transportation etc. In our sample data, we will consider the normal expenses of a family of two living in a moderate city. Considering the federal, state taxes and the health insurance are debited automatically from your pay slip, we have excluded these in our sample.
Sample Monthly Expenses:
| Expense Description | Monthly Expense Cost($) |
| Apartment Rent(One bed room) | 500-800 |
| Electricity | ±100 |
| Home Telephone | ±40 |
| Cell Phone | ±40 |
| Cable TV | ±50 |
| Internet(High speed or Cable) | ±50 |
| Food & Grocery |
±300 |
| If you have purchased a new car on loan for 5 years |
±350 |
| Auto(Car) Insurance | ±100 |
| Gas(Petrol) for Car | ±100 |
| Laundry | ±50 |
| Apartment Rental Insurance | ±10 |
| Expense Description | Annual Expense Cost($) |
| Car Tag(License) Renewal | ±100 |
| Car(Emission Test) | ±40 |
If you live in cities like New York, Boston, San Fransisco, Los Angeles etc., then your expenses will be around 50% higher when compared to the other cities. Apartment costs, car insurance, gas, restaurant bills etc., would increase considerably. If you know the cost of living in a particular city, it will be helpful for you to negotiate a good salary with your future employer.
