Your monthly “cost of living” is an average of your typical expenses for one month. It covers food, housing, clothing, and entertainment… and, at Status 1 or higher, servants, if this is customary in your society. Your cost of living depends on your Status (p. 28). The Cost of Living Table (below) gives a “generic” cost of living for each Status level; you must normally pay this at the beginning of each month. However, the GM is free to vary both the amount of money involved and the payment scheme; for instance, he could ask for half at the start of the month and half in the middle.

In most game worlds, you may opt to pay the cost of living for a Status level higher or lower than your own (but never more than Status 8 or less than Status -2). This affects how NPCs react to you, and may have other effects as well. Living below your Status saves you money, but has negative repercussions. Depending on the level you drop to, these might include unpaid servants quitting, threats from your landlord, malnutrition, eviction, or anything else the GM feels appropriate. The GM may also reduce your effective Status to the level you’re supporting in any situation where your reduced circumstances would cause a negative reaction; e.g., at a “society” function or when meeting strangers who do not recognize your face.

Living above your Status costs more, but gives you a more comfortable lifestyle. It might even let you pose as someone of higher Status – although the GM is free to require a Savoir-Faire (High Society) skill roll as well. But be aware that claiming more Status than you actually possess can lead to a reaction penalty! Actually living above your Status can earn you a bad Reputation – or even qualify as an Odious Personal Habit.

If you get Status free from Rank, you need only pay the cost of living for your Status before this bonus, not for your final Status level. Someone else – your organization, the taxpayers, etc. – covers the difference.

Example: A person from a good family (Status 1) who becomes president of a sizable country (Status 7) does not need to pay $60 million per month to support the associated lifestyle: personal jet liner, multiple mansions, security service, etc. He pays only the $1,200 per month for Status 1; the state pays the difference. Someone who just wanted to live in a presidential style would have to pay the full amount himself!

If you’re on vacation or traveling for most of a month, your expenses will be higher – usually about six times your cost of living, unless you have a Claim to Hospitality.

When living away from home, you must pay a daily cost of living equal to 20% of your usual monthly cost of living – but if you wish, you can live at one level below your Status without meaningful repercussions. The quality of your accommodations depends on Status. In the modern world, Status -1 means a dingy flophouse; Status 0, a typical hotel or motel; Status 1, a good hotel; Status 2, a luxury hotel suite; and Status 3 and higher, a swanky resort. You can also use this price tag as a guideline for how much it costs to entertain guests at the Status to which they’re accustomed, and as a rough guide to suitable bribes.

Cost of living assumes that you buy groceries and that you, your family, or your staff prepares your meals at home – or that if you always eat out, it’s at places one level below your Status. When you eat out or purchase travel rations, use these guidelines. Treat Status greater than 3 as Status 3, except in unusual cases.

Restaurant: 1% of cost of living for breakfast or lunch, or 2% for dinner, based on the Status of the restaurant’s typical patron.

Travel Rations: 5% of cost of living for one week. Weighs 14 lbs.

Liquor: 1% of cost of living per bottle.

You start with a full wardrobe appropriate to your Status – you need not purchase this separately. Cost of living covers normal wear and tear and gradual replacements, but if you suddenly need to replace your clothing, use the rules below. Use full Status to figure the cost of a complete wardrobe. High-Status individuals own more clothes, and the crown jewels of Status 7 and 8 rulers are worth tens or hundreds of millions all by themselves! When buying just one outfit, though, treat Status greater than 3 as Status 3.

Exception: Men’s clothing becomes more conservative on TL5 and higher Earth, allowing most men to treat Status 2 and up as Status 2 when they buy one outfit. Men at Status 3 and up with Fashion Sense must still pay the full Status 3 cost in order to benefit from it.

Complete Wardrobe: Includes one to four sets of ordinary clothes, plus nightclothes, one set each of formal wear and winter clothes, and usually at least one outfit (lab coat, uniform, gym clothes, etc.) appropriate to your job or hobbies. 100% of cost of living; 20+ lbs.

Ordinary Clothes: One complete outfit, ranging in quality from castoff rags to designer fashions, depending on Status. At minimum: undergarments, plus a tunic, blouse, or shirt with hose, skirt, or trousers – or a long tunic, robe, or dress – and suitable footwear. 20% of cost of living; 2 lbs.

Winter Clothes: As above, but heavier. Includes a hat or hood, boots, and (at TL6 or less) furs. 30% of cost of living; 4 lbs.

Formal Wear: Your “best outfit,” which will usually include at least some accessories (hat, gloves, etc.) or jewelry. 40% of cost of living; 2 lbs.

Cosmetics: Natural or synthetic beauty aids. For one month’s supply: 10% of cost of living; 2 lbs.

Your lifestyle will depend greatly on the campaign tech level. At TL3, Status 7 means you will live like a medieval king: a couple of castles or palaces, lands, and plenty of servants. At TL12, Status 7 is unimaginable… you probably have your own private planetoid! Here’s a modern (TL8) example of how housing and transportation would reflect Status:

Status 8: An estate the size of a small country, multiple palatial mansions, an entire private airline, a yacht the size of an ocean liner, and an army of guards.

Status 7: A palatial mansion, multiple rural estates or retreats, a private jumbo jet, a large yacht, a fleet of vehicles, and an entire agency of security guards.

Status 6: A huge mansion on an estate, a couple of more modest residences, a private jet, a yacht, a fleet of vehicles, and hundreds of functionaries (including a platoon of bodyguards).

Status 5: A large mansion on an estate, one or two smaller townhouses, an executive jet, a yacht, a small fleet of cars, and dozens of functionaries (often including a team of bodyguards).

Status 4: A mid-sized mansion, several other properties, a yacht or private light aircraft, a limousine, a few luxury cars, and many servants (often including at least one bodyguard).

Status 3: A small mansion, a few other properties, a small yacht, a number of luxury cars or other vehicles, and a handful of servants.

Status 2: A large house with grounds, one or two other properties, a couple of expensive cars, a few other vehicles, and a housekeeper.

Status 1: A comfortable house or condominium, a nice new car or a couple of older ones, and perhaps a boat or other recreational vehicle.

Status 0: A house (heavily mortgaged) or large apartment, and a car.

Status -1: A small or shared apartment, or a decaying or derelict house in a bad neighborhood, and possibly a used (or stolen!) car.

Status -2: A room in a flophouse or shelter… or a patch of sidewalk.