Here’s a look at the HCOL vs. LCOL debate, including what factors lead an area to be HCOL vs. LCOL, what the benefits of each region are, and how you can make that decision.
HCOL stands for High Cost of Living, and LCOL stands for Low Cost of Living. These terms differentiate locations based on the average cost of living in certain areas.
Cost of living refers to how expensive it is to live in a place. As you are probably well aware, living in some places is more expensive than living in others, meaning that a dollar earned in one area of the country will go further than a dollar earned in another location.
First, it is essential to remember that the following are general statements in the HCOL vs. LCOL debate. There is plenty of wiggle room even within these areas, and even some HCOL cities have neighborhoods with a lower cost of living areas and vice versa.