Our Data Sources
Trust requires transparency. Here's exactly where our cost of living data comes from and how we ensure its accuracy.
📚Primary Data Sources
Government Statistics Bureaus
National averages, major cities
Examples: Bureau of Labor Statistics (US), Eurostat (EU), National Statistics Offices
Crowdsourced Price Databases
Granular city-level data
Examples: User submissions, Community price reports, Expat surveys
Real Estate Platforms
Rental and housing costs
Examples: Rental listing aggregators, Property databases, Housing market reports
Economic Research Firms
Economic indicators, purchasing power
Examples: Economic consultancies, Research institutions, Academic studies
📋What We Track (40+ Data Points)
Housing
- 1BR City Center Rent
- 1BR Outside Center Rent
- 3BR City Center Rent
- 3BR Outside Center Rent
- Monthly Utilities
Food
- Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant
- Meal at Mid-Range Restaurant
- McMeal or Equivalent
- Domestic Beer
- Imported Beer
- Cappuccino
Groceries
- Milk (1L)
- Bread (500g)
- Eggs (12)
- Cheese (1kg)
- Chicken (1kg)
- Beef (1kg)
- Rice (1kg)
- Apples (1kg)
Transportation
- One-Way Ticket
- Monthly Pass
- Taxi Start
- Taxi 1km
- Gasoline (1L)
Utilities
- Basic Utilities (85m²)
- Internet (60Mbps)
- Mobile Plan
Lifestyle
- Fitness Club Monthly
- Tennis Court Hour
- Cinema Ticket
- Jeans
- Running Shoes
🔄Update Schedule
| Data Type | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rental Prices | Monthly | More frequent in volatile markets |
| Grocery Prices | Monthly | Adjusted for seasonal variations |
| Transportation | Quarterly | Unless fare changes announced |
| Utilities | Quarterly | Energy prices updated monthly |
| Exchange Rates | Daily | Applied to all USD conversions |
✅How We Ensure Quality
Multi-Source Validation
Every data point is cross-referenced against at least 2 independent sources.
Outlier Detection
Automated systems flag unusual values for manual review before publication.
Community Feedback
Users can report inaccuracies, which triggers immediate investigation.
Expert Review
Our team includes expats and economists who sanity-check data regularly.
📜Attribution & Licensing
We're committed to proper attribution. Our data is compiled from publicly available sources, and we maintain records of source attribution for all data points.
Using our data? If you'd like to reference or use our data in your own work, please include a link back to CostOfLiving.io. For commercial use or API access, please contact us.
We believe in the open exchange of information and support other projects working to make cost of living data accessible worldwide.
Found an Error?
Help us improve! If you notice incorrect data, let us know and we'll investigate immediately.