A one-hour meeting with eight people on an average salary costs hundreds of dollars – and a weekly one tens of thousands a year. Employers also pay benefits, taxes and office costs on top of salary, typically 25–40%. Seeing the cost helps decide who really needs to attend and how long the meeting should be.
How to use the Meeting Cost Calculator
- Attendees
- Salary given per
- Average salary
- Benefits and overhead
- Meeting length
- Preparation / travel time per person
- Extra costs per meeting (room, catering)
- Frequency
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Enter the number of attendees and their average salary, the meeting length and preparation or travel time, the overhead percentage, any extra costs and how often the meeting happens.
Tips
- Track a typical week before planning – real figures beat estimates.
- Break big tasks into smaller pieces and plan buffer time for interruptions.
- Re-run the numbers when your inputs change so plans stay realistic.
- Use results as a guide for decisions, not as a precise prediction.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Counting calendar days when the deadline is in working days (or the reverse).
- Forgetting breaks, setup and handover time.
- Assuming every day is as productive as your best day.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Attendees | A number |
| Salary given per | Choose one: Year, Month, Week, Hour |
| Average salary | Amount in your currency |
| Benefits and overhead | In % |
| Meeting length | In min |
| Preparation / travel time per person | In min |
| Extra costs per meeting (room, catering) | Amount in your currency |
| Frequency | Choose one: One-time, Daily (250 per year), Weekly, Every two weeks … |
What each result means
- Cost per attendee per hour = [Average salary]÷[Salary given per]×(1 + [Benefits and overhead]÷100)
- Cost of one meeting = [Attendees]×[Cost per attendee per hour]×([Meeting length] + [Preparation ÷ travel time per person])÷60 + [Extra costs per meeting (room, catering)]
- Cost per year = [Cost of one meeting]×[Frequency]
- Person-hours per year = [Attendees]×([Meeting length] + [Preparation ÷ travel time per person])÷60×[Frequency]
Example values
How the main result changes when Attendees changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Attendees | Cost of one meeting |
|---|---|
| 4 | 218.75 |
| 6 | 328.13 |
| 8 | 437.5 |
| 10 | 546.88 |
| 12 | 656.25 |
| 16 | 875 |
Formula
Hourly cost per person = annual salary ÷ 2,080 hours × (1 + overhead)Meeting cost = attendees × hourly cost × (duration + set-up) + extra costsYearly cost = meeting cost × meetings per yearWorked example
Inputs — Attendees: 8; Salary given per: Year; Average salary: $75,000; Benefits and overhead: 30 %; Meeting length: 60 min; Preparation / travel time per person: 10 min; Extra costs per meeting (room, catering): $0; Frequency: Weekly.
Results — Cost per attendee per hour = $46.88; Cost of one meeting = $437.50; Cost per year = $22,750.00; Person-hours per year = 485.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a meeting cost?
Eight people on $75,000 a year for an hour with 10 minutes' preparation cost about $570 including overhead.
How can I make meetings cheaper?
Invite only decision-makers, set an agenda, shorten to 25 or 50 minutes and cancel recurring meetings that no longer need to happen.
Why include overhead?
Employers pay benefits, payroll taxes and office costs on top of salary, typically 25–40%.
What formula does the Meeting Cost Calculator use?
Hourly cost per person = annual salary ÷ 2,080 hours × (1 + overhead).