kos-TAR oon OH-kho deh la KAH-rah
Literally, this means 'to cost an eye of the face'.
In reality, it means something is extremely expensive, like 'costing an arm and a leg'.
Ese coche nuevo debe costar un ojo de la cara.
B1That new car must cost an arm and a leg.
Quería ir de vacaciones a Japón, pero los vuelos cuestan un ojo de la cara.
B2I wanted to go on vacation to Japan, but the flights cost a fortune.
La reparación del ordenador me costó un ojo de la cara.
B2Fixing the computer cost me a fortune.
The most popular story for this phrase stars Spanish explorer Diego de Almagro in the 16th century. During an expedition in what is now Peru, he was supposedly hit by an arrow and lost an eye. Later, when speaking with the king about the high price of his conquests, he famously remarked that defending the Crown's interests had 'cost him an eye of the face'. The vivid, personal sacrifice became a powerful metaphor for any extremely high price.
Use this phrase to express that something is not just expensive, but extremely expensive. It adds a dramatic, slightly complaining tone, perfect for everyday conversations.
Remember that the verb 'costar' changes depending on the item. For one thing, use 'cuesta' (present tense) or 'costó' (past tense). For more than one thing, use 'cuestan' or 'costaron'.
Mistake: “Sometimes learners shorten the phrase to 'cuesta un ojo'.”
Correction: While people might understand you, the full, classic idiom is 'costar un ojo de la cara'. Using the complete phrase sounds more natural and adds the right dramatic flair.
Want to understand the grammar behind this idiom? Explore these lessons for a deep dive:
This idiom often uses indirect object pronouns like 'me' to show who is experiencing the high cost, as seen in the example 'me costó un ojo de la cara' (it cost me).
When talking about a specific purchase that happened and is finished, the verb 'costar' is used in the preterite tense, such as 'me costó' in the third example.
Extremely common and used universally.
Extremely common and universally understood across all countries.
Question 1 of 1
If your friend says 'La cena en ese restaurante cuesta un ojo de la cara', what do they mean?
Want to sound more natural when using this idiom? Practice your Spanish pronunciation with our collection of tongue twisters.
Browse Spanish Tongue Twisters →Idioms make sense in context. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see idioms used naturally by characters — and build the ear native speakers have.
Absolutely! You can use it for anything that has a high price, like a vacation, a university degree, car repairs, or concert tickets. For example, 'Arreglar el coche me costó un ojo de la cara' (Fixing the car cost me an arm and a leg).
