How to use the meeting cost calculator
- Enter the number of Attendees.
- Enter the Average hourly cost per person. The tool’s hint says to use the loaded cost (salary plus overheads), not just pay.
- Set Duration in minutes.
- For a regular meeting, set Times per week (for a recurring meeting). Use 0 for a one-off.
- Choose the Currency. The results update as you type.
What it does and when to use it
A calendar invite looks free, but every hour in a meeting room is paid time for everyone in it. Putting a number on that helps you decide whether a meeting needs all the people invited, whether 60 minutes could be 30, and whether a weekly status meeting could become a written update.
The result panel shows the total cost, the cost per minute, the cost per attendee and the total person-hours. A table then shows the same meeting at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, and you can copy it or download it as CSV for a proposal.
When a meeting is worth holding, plan it well: book times with the time slot generator, send an .ics calendar invite, and keep a deadline in view with the countdown to date.
How it works
- Cost per minute = attendees × hourly cost ÷ 60
- Meeting cost = cost per minute × duration in minutes
- Per attendee = hourly cost × duration ÷ 60
- Person-hours = attendees × duration ÷ 60
- Yearly cost = meeting cost × times per week × 52
All figures use the same average rate for everyone, which keeps the inputs simple.
Worked examples
The preset team meeting. 6 people at $50 an hour for 60 minutes, once a week:
Meeting cost: $300.00
Cost per minute: $5.00
Per attendee: $50.00
Person-hours: 6
A year at 1× a week (52 weeks): $15,600.00A twice-weekly review in India. 8 people at ₹1,500 an hour for 45 minutes, twice a week, gives Meeting cost: ₹9,000.00, Cost per minute: ₹200.00 and A year at 2× a week (52 weeks): ₹9,36,000.00. Rupee amounts use Indian digit grouping, so ₹9,36,000 is nine lakh thirty-six thousand.
A daily stand-up. 12 people at €65 an hour for 15 minutes, five times a week, gives Meeting cost: €195.00 and A year at 5× a week (52 weeks): €50,700.00. A short meeting with a big group adds up quickly.
Limits and tips
- Attendees and duration must be above zero; otherwise the tool asks you to enter them.
- The result is an estimate of time cost. It leaves out room hire, travel and the time it takes to get back into focused work afterwards.
- Share the per-minute figure rather than the total if you want a light-hearted reminder to keep meetings on time.
Frequently asked questions
What hourly cost should I use?
Should I count people who join for only part of the meeting?
Why is the yearly figure based on 52 weeks?
Which currencies can I choose?
Does the calculator count preparation time?
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