real cost

Cultural  

1. The cost of producing a good or service, including the cost of all resources used and the cost of not employing those resources in alternative uses.

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Example Sentences

“We can delude ourselves for a while that this is not a real cost, but we’re only fooling ourselves at the end of the day,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

For Rosenow, the real cost of oversaving is the lack of fulfillment in being alive.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 24, 2025

I’ve been reflecting on the real cost of convenience and instant gratification when it comes to food.

From Salon • Dec. 5, 2024

The real cost of the Royal Family to taxpayers is £510m a year - nearly six times more than the £86m of state funding from the annual Sovereign Grant - anti-monarchy campaigners say.

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2024

The real cost of the Nebraska trip, including airfare and fees for the festival, is about $1,500 per Truman student.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove