Opportunity Cost Calculator
Thinking about spending money now instead of investing it? See what that cash could have grown into if you had invested it instead.
What is opportunity cost?
Opportunity cost is the value of the next-best alternative you give up when you make a choice. In personal finance, it’s often used to compare spending money today against investing it and letting it grow over time.
How this calculator works
Enter the amount of money you’re considering spending (or already have), the annual return rate you could reasonably expect if you invested it instead, and how many years you’d let it grow. The calculator applies the standard compound growth formula, Future Value = Amount × (1 + rate)^years, to estimate what that money could become if invested rather than spent.
- Future Value If Invested is what the money could grow to.
- Opportunity Cost is the growth you’d be giving up by spending or not investing the money.
This is a simplified estimate for general planning and educational purposes. It assumes a steady, uninterrupted rate of return, which real investments rarely provide exactly, and does not account for taxes, fees, or inflation.