This article will answer what the “cost of living” is and why it’s important to consider for your career, your personal life, and your student affairs job search. Cost of living comparisons and considerations will be shared and discussed. Cost of living increases examined as part of your overcall compensation. This article also covers other aspects related to your costs of living that you may not have thought of before. This article closes on some tools that you can use to calculate your cost of living in order to make more informed decisions about your career development.