Expenditure vs Expense

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Expenditure

Top 5,000 (fairly common) C1 noun

Expense

Top 2,000 (common) B2 noun

Most common: Expense

	Expenditure	Expense
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈspendɪtʃə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈspendɪtʃər/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ɪkˈspens/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪkˈspens/"]/
Meaning	The amount of money spent.	Money that you spend on something.
Example	The company's expenditure on research and development increased significantly last year.	The expense of traveling abroad can add up quickly if you’re not careful.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 5,000 (fairly common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	C1	B2
Part of speech	noun	noun
Collocations	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	considerable, enormous, great, go to, incur, involve, rise, at somebody’s/​something’s expense, at… expense, at taxpayer expense, at taxpayers’ expense, at the taxpayer’s expense, big, considerable, major, high, low, allowable, incur, cover, defray, arise from something, arise out of something, increase, expense account, expenses claim, expense report, on expenses, all expenses paid, spare no expense, high, low, allowable, incur, cover, defray, arise from something, arise out of something, increase, expense account, expenses claim, expense report, on expenses, all expenses paid, spare no expense
Antonyms	income, revenue	income, profit
Common mistakes	Confused with 'expense' which refers to specific costs., Using 'expenditure' in informal contexts where 'spending' would be better., Mispronouncing as 'expenDITure' instead of 'expenDITure'.	Confused with 'expanse', which means a wide area., Using 'expenses' as a singular noun., Mispronouncing it as 'ex-pense' instead of 'ik-spens'.
Usage notes	Used in discussions about budgets or finance. It is more formal than 'spending'. Avoid in casual conversations about day-to-day purchases.	Use 'expense' in both personal and business contexts. It's appropriate when discussing costs, budgeting, or financial reports. Avoid using it in very casual conversations.

See it in real clips

Blood is a big expense.

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

This council has, at great expense,

Blood is a big expense.

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

This council has, at great expense,

Expense

Frequently asked questions: Expenditure vs Expense

What's the difference between Expenditure and Expense?

Expenditure: The amount of money spent. Expense: Money that you spend on something.

Which is more common: Expenditure and Expense?

Expense is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Expenditure and Expense?

Expenditure is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Expenditure and Expense the same CEFR level?

Expenditure: C1, Expense: B2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Expenditure and Expense?

Expenditure: noun, Expense: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Expenditure: The company's expenditure on research and development increased significantly last year. Expense: The expense of traveling abroad can add up quickly if you’re not careful.

Can I use Expenditure and Expense interchangeably?

Not always. Expenditure and Expense 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.