Can FReepers provide a link to current national cost of living figures? (VANITY)

Me | 3/5/2010 | Myheartsinlondon-everett

[My hearts in London - Everett]

I'm having a discussion with someone who fancies himself an "intellectual" who argues that the "Living and wage costs have actually gone down since the financial crisis." Is this true? I don't see how it could be. Inflation has not increased to any real extent over the last 6 or 7 years from the information I'm finding so far.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

My source so far is this site: http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/inflation/current-inflation-rates/, that shows inflation overall for last year was -.4% and was at 2.6% in January of this year. If the rate of inflation is about the same over the past few years, how can the cost of living (living and wage costs, as he puts it) go up ~ excluding the price of oil?

[stefanbatory]

hmmm...gasoline has only risen by about 100% since the beginning of 2009...food sure hasn’t gotten any cheaper...does your intellectual person do math at the checkout register?

[Responsibility2nd]

 

Consumer Price Index

[Responsibility2nd]

US Inflation Calculator

Earth Costs Global cost of living index.

[La Lydia]

http://www.bls.gov/cpi/

[My hearts in London - Everett]

Are the COL and the rate of inflation dependent upon the other? If the rate of inflation is at 2.5% does it necessarily follow that the average for the COL is about the same? If inflation is stagnant, does that mean the same is true for consumer prices?

[sten]

average cost of living for a family of four would be about 1 ounce of gold per week

or about $1100/ wk

+/- 3%

[Heartlander]

http://www.usdebtclock.org/