The cost of living is increasing faster for students than the rest of Kansans, a Kansas State University study has found.

The K-State Economics Club’s Student Price Index, which tracks the cost of items typically purchased by students, increased by 3.2 percent in Manhattan during 2001. The state’s Consumer Price Index the indicator used to track prices for the general public increased by 1.6 percent during the same time.

The club established the index in 2000. Members track the cost of eight items: tuition, textbooks, housing, groceries, movie tickets, beer and pizza.

Beer prices are determined by compiling the average prices for a pitcher at several Manhattan bars. Groceries purchased include milk, bread, soda and ground beef.

Without gasoline which decreased during 2001 the items’ cost rose 4 percent.

“I would assume these prices are similar in Lawrence,” said club president Justin McQueary, though no similar study exists.

Because the index is so new, it’s difficult to determine whether the large increase is typical or a rarity, McQueary said. He says he wonders if businesses in college towns tend to gouge students because they’re naive and are a captive market.

If that’s the case, McQueary said, the added competition in Lawrence which has more businesses because it’s larger would work to KU students’ advantage.

But either way, increasing prices are a concern as students brace for an increase in tuition this fall.

“I think the more money students have to spend on tuition and books and university fees, they’re going to have less money just to blow on CDs or whatever,” he said. “But there are things they can do about it. Our beer index is up 8 percent, and students can offset that pretty easily by choosing places with drink specials.”

McQueary added that students could use the student price index as leverage for a pay increase from employers.

“They could tell their boss, ‘Look, it’s getting more and more expensive for me to live,'” he said. “I don’t know how far employers would take our numbers. I tried it with my boss.”

And did it work?

“Um, no.”