Cool MateCost vs Expenditure
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Cost
Top 1,000 (very common)A1noun
Expenditure
Top 5,000 (fairly common)C1noun
Most common: Cost
| Cost | Expenditure | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/kɒst/"]/🇺🇸 /["/kɔːst/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈspendɪtʃə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈspendɪtʃər/"]/ |
| Meaning | The amount of money needed to buy something. | The amount of money spent. |
| Example | The cost of the new car is very high. | The company's expenditure on research and development increased significantly last year. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | C1 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun |
| Collocations | considerable, high, enormous, carry, have, bear, escalate, go up, increase, reduction, savings, increase, at a cost of, cost to, an increase in cost, a reduction in cost, at great cost, considerable, enormous, great, incur, pay, increase, be associated, be involved, escalate, considerable, enormous, great, outweigh, suffer, count, at cost (to), at a cost (to), at the cost of, costs and benefits, at all costs, at any cost, court, legal, administrative, incur, pay, be awarded | considerable, great, heavy, item, amount, level, make, increase, control, go up, grow, increase, cut, limit, level, expenditure for, expenditure of, expenditure on, a cut in expenditure, a reduction in expenditure, an increase in expenditure |
| Antonyms | free, no cost | income, revenue |
| Common mistakes | Using 'cost' in past tense improperly, like 'costed'., Confusing 'cost' with 'price' in terms of usage., Omitting the amount, e.g., saying 'This costs...' without stating the price. | Confused with 'expense' which refers to specific costs., Using 'expenditure' in informal contexts where 'spending' would be better., Mispronouncing as 'expenDITure' instead of 'expenDITure'. |
| Usage notes | Use 'cost' to describe the price of goods or services. It’s appropriate in both spoken and written language, but avoid using it in very formal contexts where more specific terms might be preferred. | Used in discussions about budgets or finance. It is more formal than 'spending'. Avoid in casual conversations about day-to-day purchases. |
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Frequently asked questions: Cost vs Expenditure
What's the difference between Cost and Expenditure?
Cost: The amount of money needed to buy something. Expenditure: The amount of money spent.
Which is more common: Cost and Expenditure?
Cost is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Cost and Expenditure?
Expenditure is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Are Cost and Expenditure the same CEFR level?
Cost: A1, Expenditure: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Cost and Expenditure?
Cost: noun, Expenditure: noun.
Can you show an example of each?
Cost: The cost of the new car is very high. Expenditure: The company's expenditure on research and development increased significantly last year.
Can I use Cost and Expenditure interchangeably?
Not always. Cost and Expenditure are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.