What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
costs
Example
The cost of the new car was too high for me. [cost: noun]
Example
It will cost us a lot of money to repair the roof. [cost: verb]
expense
Example
The expense of the wedding was too much for us to handle. [expense: noun]
Example
We need to cut down on our expenses to save money. [expense: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Costs and expense are both commonly used in everyday language, but costs is more versatile and can be used in a wider range of contexts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between costs and expense?
Both costs and expense can be used in formal and informal contexts, but costs is more commonly used in business or technical settings.
