The cost of living in the United States: Prices and expenses in 2022

The cost of living in the United States: In the period from 2021 to 2022, there is an increase in consumer activity in the US. However, fewer people regularly save money. Americans spend the money they earn on food, rent, and house maintenance. People in the US currently spend much less on recreation and entertainment.

Generally, the cost of living in the United States is distributed approximately as follows:

• Food: 13.2% (additionally, Americans spend up to 6.5% of their annual expenses on food in cafes and restaurants)
• Fuel and energy supply for housing: 7.9% (for refueling a car – up to 4.2%)
• Goods for household use: 3.4% (including household appliances)
• Clothes and shoes: 3.6%
• Medicines: 1.8%
• Accommodation (including rent): 32.7%
• Utilities (water supply, sewage, garbage removal): 1.1%
• Medical care: 6.8%
• Transport (own car or public transport): 8%
• Internet: 0.7% and telephone communication: 2.3%)
• Education: 3.8%
• Beauty and entertainment: 4.75%
• Other goods and services: 17%

This chart does not take into account payroll taxes. Progressive income tax, social security contributions, and sales taxes are not typically included in the cost of goods in the United States. Withholding can be as much as 40% of the money earned, subject to federal rates and state-by-state fees.

There is no legally established living wage concept in the United States. However, this term is used to collect statistical information. Based on data for 2021, the fork of average monthly salaries was estimated as $4,850 for skilled professionals and $2,120 for low-skilled work.

According to the US Department of the Treasury, by the end of 2022, the individual living wage is predicted to reach $1,805 per month.

Utilities

The cost of utilities in the United States is on average $155 per month (ranging from $86 to $250) without telecommunications and Internet services. However, according to statistics, it does not exceed 7% of overall income. There are no fixed rates for electricity and gas services in the US.

For example, each state has its electricity tariff. It ranges from 9.7 to 23.3 cents per kWh. The national average for the residential sector is 13.28 cents per kWh.

Medicine

Public medical services also have different prices. The best variant is to buy health insurance in time. If the insurance does not cover the entire cost of the provided medical services or, for some reason, it is not there at all, Americans will have to pay a lot of money:

• Appointment with a therapist: $440 (with insurance – $30)
• Emergency (non-operative) care: $3,400-$6,300 for a few hours in a hospital (with insurance – $140)
• Childbirth: $10,000 (with insurance – $230)
• Examination by a pediatrician: $150 (with insurance – $30)

The operation can cost thousands of dollars. There is no unified approach to pricing services of doctors and medical institutions in the United States. That is why patients cannot explain such high prices.

Another thing is that, even if the patient does not have insurance, they do not have the right to deny medical care. Doctors are obliged to help regardless of their financial situation. The issue of reimbursement will be decided in court later.