A never ending cycle: The high cost of living

Over the past few years, the cost of living has become unimaginable. Every day, regular people are fighting to stay in the middle class while billionaires are driving the bus of prices through the roof. Inflation is climbing throughout our country, which means prices climb as well. 

However, once the prices increase they do not drop back down. The prices of everyday items continue to increase and consumers are feeling the effects. When we talk about the cost of living, it is defined by a list of things: housing, food, transportation, healthcare, utilities and bills. 

Things like housing are always supply and demand, which has a direct impact on the price. According to the Illinois Realtors Department, the median cost of housing in Illinois in 2020 was $225,000; now it is over $315,000. In 2020, Illinois had 31,120 homes for sale, while in January of 2026 they only had 18,421, a drastic difference of almost 41 percent. More expensive homes paired with fewer homes available result in greater affordability pressure for buyers. 

In addition to housing, affording food is commonly overlooked. Consumers may find themselves swiping their card or agreeing to a payment without questioning the reason for the rise in the price. The small percentages on every item add up over and over again, and those nickels and dimes soon turn into thousands of dollars. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics, items like cereals and bakery products have risen 6.5 percent, with meats, poultry, fish and eggs rising 3.8 percent. The take-out and eating out just adds up every time, as food away from home is up 5.3 percent.

Transportation has been killing homes and the ability to purchase cars. With the price of gas up over 25 percent, as described in the U.S Bureau of Labor and Statistics website, it has reached a point where it is easier to ride-share or get public transportation than to have to purchase a car. The cost to commute to work is draining employees' pockets before they even step through the door. 

Between having to pay for housing, food, transportation, and more; prices and bills are constantly rising and never-ending. Expensive costs have been growing, and even the small stuff adds up. It is not like people can simply cut these out, as they are necessary to survive and live in our society. Unfortunately, until we can figure out how to defeat the growing issue of inflation, it seems like we will be caught in the life long cycle of the high cost of living.