Opportunity Cost Calculator
What a purchase would grow to if you invested the money instead. The numbers only, no verdict.
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Quick scenarios
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years
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$45,000 invested today at 7% for 20 years
$174,136
That's $129,136 in investment growth foregone
- True Purchase Cost
- $45,000Cash price
- Per $1,000 Spent
- $3,870Could become this in 20 years
This shows the trade-off. Whether the purchase is worth it is your call; the tool only makes the cost of capital visible.
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How this is calculated
Reframes a purchase as its long-term cost: what that money could have become if invested instead.
The steps
- Take the purchase amount (or, if financed, the total of all payments over the loan term).
- Grow that amount at your expected return for the chosen horizon: future value = amount × (1 + return)^years.
- The opportunity cost is the gap between that future value and what you spent.
Assumptions
- A constant annual investment return over the horizon.
Good to know
- Illustrative — it doesn’t judge whether the purchase is worthwhile to you.
Related resources
Educational disclaimer. Everything on WealthSerene.com is educational and is not investment advice. Projections and calculations are illustrative; actual results depend on market conditions, your situation and factors outside this tool’s scope. For a decision specific to your situation, consult a qualified financial professional. View full disclosures