Via Reddit: “Map created by me, an attempt to define cost of living tiers. People often say how they live in a HCOL, MCOL, LCOL area. Source for all data on cost of living dollar amounts by county, with methodology: https://www.epi.org/publication/family-budget-calculator-documentation/ To summarize, this cost of living calculation is for a “modest yet adequate standard of living” at the county level, and typically costs higher than MIT’s living wage calculator. See the link for full details, summary below. For 1 single adult this factors in…

• Housing: 2023 Fair Market Rents for Studio apartments by county.
• Food: 2023 USDA’s “Low Cost Food Plan” that meets “national standards for nutritious diets” and assumes “almost all food is bought at grocery stores”. Data by county.
• Transport: 2023 data that factors in “auto ownership, auto costs, and transit use” by county.
• Healthcare: 2023 Data including Health Insurance premiums and out of pocket costs by county.
• Other Necessities: Includes clothing, personal care, household supplies/furniture, reading materials, and school supplies…”