Cost of Living in the U.S

National Averages

• Annual Household Spending: The average U.S. household spends approximately $61,334 per year.​World Population Review
  • Housing: Accounts for about 34.9% of expenses, averaging $1,784 per month.​World Population Review
  • Transportation: Approximately 16% of spending, or $9,826 annually.​World Population Review
  • Healthcare: Averages $5,177 annually.​
  • Rent: The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,154 per month. ​World Population Review

📍 Cost of Living by StateStates are indexed against a national average of 100:​World Population Review

• Highest Cost of Living:
  
  • Hawaii (192.9)​
  • California (142.2)​
  • New York (139.1)​
  • Massachusetts (135.0)​
  • Alaska (127.1)​
• Lowest Cost of Living:
  
  • Mississippi (83.3)​
  • Arkansas (84.1)​
  • Oklahoma (85.0)​
  • Missouri (86.1)​
  • New Mexico (87.5) ​

🏙️ Cost of Living by CityAccording to Numbeo's 2025 data, the top 5 most expensive U.S. cities are:​

1. New York, NY​Numbeo
2. San Francisco, CA​
3. Honolulu, HI​
4. Boston, MA​
5. Seattle, WA ​Numbeo

📈 Economic Factors Impacting Costs

• Tariffs: As of April 2025, new tariffs have been imposed, including a 10% tariff on most U.S. imports and a 125% tariff on Chinese goods. These are expected to increase prices on various items, such as apparel (by 33%), cars (by 15.8%), and iPhones (by over 30%). The overall food price may rise by 4.5%. ​The Guardian
  
• Inflation: In March 2025, U.S. consumer prices saw an unexpected decline of 0.1%, the first monthly drop since May 2020. However, annual CPI grew 2.4%, while core CPI rose 2.8%. Economists anticipate mixed inflation trends, with costly goods possibly offset by softer service sector prices. ​Reuters
  

💡 SummaryThe cost of living in the U.S. is influenced by location, housing, transportation, healthcare, and recent economic policies. While some areas experience higher costs due to housing and other factors, recent tariffs and inflation trends are contributing to price increases across various sectors.​
If you have specific questions about a particular state or city, feel free to ask!