Meeting Cost Calculator
A one-hour meeting with eight people does not cost one hour - it costs eight hours of salary time, plus the overhead of lost focus and context-switching. This calculator converts meeting time into money so you can decide whether the meeting is worth it. It also shows what a recurring meeting costs over a year - a useful number before scheduling yet another weekly stand-up.
How to use this tool
- 1Enter the number of meeting attendees.
- 2Enter the average annual salary of attendees. Use a blended rate if the group is mixed seniority.
- 3Enter the meeting duration in minutes.
- 4Optionally add an overhead multiplier (default 1.3x) to account for benefits, office space, and the true employer cost of each person.
- 5Choose the meeting frequency to see the annual cost: one-time, daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
- 6Read the cost of this meeting, the cost per attendee, and the annual cost if recurring.
Formula used
Example
Attendees: 6. Average salary: 60,000. Overhead multiplier: 1.3x. Duration: 30 minutes. Hourly cost per person: (60,000 x 1.3) / 2,080 = 37.50. Meeting cost: 37.50 x 6 x 0.5 = 112.50. Annual cost (52 weeks): 5,850. That is 5,850 for a stand-up that may or may not need all 6 people.
Attendees: 40. Average salary: 70,000. Overhead multiplier: 1.3x. Duration: 2 hours. Hourly cost per person: (70,000 x 1.3) / 2,080 = 43.75. Meeting cost: 43.75 x 40 x 2 = 3,500. Annual cost (4 per year): 14,000.
Common use cases
- Managers evaluating whether a recurring meeting is delivering enough value to justify its cost
- Teams tracking the time cost of meetings as a productivity metric
- Executives deciding whether an all-hands meeting should be replaced with an async update
- Consultants calculating the cost of client workshops to include in project budgets
- Startups making the case for fewer, shorter, more focused meetings
Common mistakes
- Using base salary without an overhead multiplier - the true cost to a business includes employer taxes, benefits, and workspace allocation, typically 25-40% on top of salary.
- Counting only meeting time and not the context-switching cost - research suggests it can take 15-25 minutes to regain deep focus after an interruption, which is not captured here but is a real cost.
- Assuming all attendees need to be there - the most impactful action is often reducing attendee count rather than shortening the meeting.
Frequently asked questions
What overhead multiplier should I use?
The overhead multiplier accounts for the full employer cost of a person beyond their salary: payroll taxes, benefits, pension, office space, equipment, and IT support. A multiplier of 1.25-1.30 is reasonable for most office-based employees in developed markets. Higher-benefit roles (e.g. generous healthcare, pension matching) may warrant 1.40-1.50.
How accurate is the 2,080 hours figure?
2,080 hours assumes 52 weeks x 40 hours per week with no holidays. In practice, most full-time employees work fewer productive hours after accounting for holidays, sick days, and non-work time. Using 1,800-1,900 hours gives a slightly higher (and more realistic) hourly cost. The default uses 2,080 as a simple and widely used benchmark.
Does this include the cost of preparation time?
No. This calculator only counts time spent in the meeting. If attendees spend 30 minutes preparing, multiply the meeting cost by the proportion of extra time. Recurring meetings with pre-read materials or slide preparation can easily cost 2-3x the meeting duration in total time.
Is my data stored or uploaded?
No. All calculations run in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server.
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