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Measuring the Dynamic Cost of Living Index from Consumption Data

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Author Info
Aoki, Shuhei
Kitahara, Minoru

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Abstract

In the U.S., the objective of consumer price index (CPI) measurement is to measure the cost of living. However, the current CPI or, in other words, cost of living index (COLI) measures the cost of living in a static optimization problem. This paper proposes a new method to construct a dynamic cost of living index (DCOLI). Our method offers several advantages compared to other dynamic cost of living indices proposed in the literature. First, our measure is based on total wealth. Previous indices limited attention to financial wealth. Second, we consider an Epstein-Zin preference structure. Most previous literature has used log preferences. We derive formulas that relate our DCOLI to the COLI and derive conditions under which the two coincide. We also produce empirical measures of our DCOLI. We find that under standard assumptions on preferences, the volatility of our DCOLI is about the same as that of the COLI. In certain periods, e.g., 1977–1983, our measure differs sharply from the COLI.

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Paper provided by University Library of Munich, Germany in its series MPRA Paper with number 9802.

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Date of creation: 02 Aug 2008
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Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:9802

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Related research
Keywords: dynamic cost of living index; cost of life; CPI;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
D91 - Microeconomics - - Intertemporal Choice and Growth - - - Intertemporal Consumer Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving

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    Other versions:
  2. Alchian, Armen A & Klein, Benjamin, 1973. "On a Correct Measure of Inflation," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 5(1), pages 173-91, Part I Fe. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  4. Epstein, Larry G & Zin, Stanley E, 1991. "Substitution, Risk Aversion, and the Temporal Behavior of Consumption and Asset Returns: An Empirical Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(2), pages 263-86, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  6. Sydney Ludvigson & Martin Lettau, 1999. "Consumption, aggregate wealth and expected stock returns," Staff Reports 77, Federal Reserve Bank of New York. [Downloadable!]
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  7. Hanno Lustig & Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, 2005. "The Returns on Human Capital: Good News on Wall Street is Bad News on Main Street," NBER Working Papers 11564, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Ravi Jagannathan & Zhenyu Wang, 1996. "The conditional CAPM and the cross-section of expected returns," Staff Report 208, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Robert A. Pollack, 1975. "The Intertemporal Cost of Living Index," NBER Chapters, in: Annals of Economic and Social Measurement, Volume 4, number 1, pages 179-198 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!]
  10. Anton Braun, R. & Esteban-Pretel, Julen & Okada, Toshihiro & Sudou, Nao, 2006. "A comparison of the Japanese and U.S. business cycles," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 441-463, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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