variable cost

Variable Cost

A cost that changes in proportion to a change in a company's activity or business.

Investopedia Commentary

A good example of variable cost is the fuel for an airline. This cost changes with the number of flights and how long the trips are.

See also: Fixed Cost

variable cost

The costs of production that vary directly in proportion to the number of units produced. Variable costs often include labor expenses and raw material costs, because labor and raw material usually must be increased to increase output. Firms for which variable costs represent a high proportion of total costs are usually less likely to experience large fluctuations in earnings, because changes in sales and revenues are accompanied by nearly equal changes in costs. Compare fixed cost.