cost of living
Loading your saved state.
cost of living
The total expenses that a person or household needs for basic living. These include costs for housing, food, clothing, health, and transportation.
In Großstädten wie München oder Hamburg sind die Lebenshaltungskosten besonders hoch.
In big cities like Munich or Hamburg, the cost of living is especially high.
This complex word is made up of 'Lebenshaltung' (the way one lives and finances one's life) and 'Kosten' (costs). It therefore describes the costs incurred for general day-to-day living.
Ein Umzug aufs Land kann die Lebenshaltungskosten deutlich senken.
Moving to the countryside can significantly lower the cost of living.
The word 'Lebenshaltungskosten' (cost of living) is used almost exclusively in the plural in German, since it usually refers to the sum of different types of costs. The singular form is extremely rare.
Die Studenten protestieren gegen die steigenden Lebenshaltungskosten.
The students are protesting against the rising cost of living.
Common adjectives are 'hoch' (high), 'niedrig' (low), 'steigend' (rising), or 'durchschnittlich' (average). Typical verbs are 'steigen' (to rise), 'sinken' (to fall), 'decken' (to cover, in the sense of being able to pay), and 'vergleichen' (to compare).
Viele Menschen können mit ihrem Gehalt die hohen Lebenshaltungskosten kaum noch decken.
Many people can hardly cover the high cost of living with their salary anymore.
livelihood
Lebensunterhalt refers to the financial means with which someone covers their basic living needs. Lebenshaltungskosten, by contrast, are the specific expenses involved. When talking about income or support, Lebensunterhalt is appropriate; for rent, food, and other individual expenses, Lebenshaltungskosten is the right term.
Die Lebenshaltungskosten für Miete, Essen und Verkehr sind in der Stadt hoch.
The cost of living in the city, including rent, food, and transportation, is high.
Mit seinem Einkommen kann er den Lebensunterhalt seiner Familie sichern.
His income allows him to support his family.
