costo
“costo” means “cost” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
cost
Also: price tag, expense
📝 In Action
El costo del billete de avión es muy alto.
A1The cost of the plane ticket is very high.
Necesitamos reducir los costos operativos.
B1We need to reduce the operating costs.
sacrifice
Also: toll, damage
📝 In Action
La decisión tuvo un costo político muy alto para el presidente.
B2The decision had a very high political cost for the president.
El éxito se logró, pero con un costo enorme en tiempo personal.
B1Success was achieved, but at an enormous cost in personal time.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: costo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'costo' in its figurative sense (meaning sacrifice or effort)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *constare*, meaning 'to stand firm' or 'to be fixed at a price.' This root also gives us the English word 'constant.'
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'costo' and 'costa'?
'El costo' (masculine) means the price or expense. 'La costa' (feminine) has two meanings: it can mean 'the coast' or 'the shore,' OR it can be a specific form of the verb 'costar' (to cost), as in 'cueste lo que cueste' (cost what it may).
Can I use 'costo' and 'precio' interchangeably?
Often, yes. Both mean 'price.' However, 'costo' often refers more specifically to the internal expense or production price for a business, while 'precio' is usually the final amount charged to the customer. For everyday use, 'precio' is slightly more common when asking how much something is.