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What are fixed and variable costs?

Author

Emma Miller

Updated on January 04, 2026

Variable costs and fixed costs, in economics, are the two main types of costs that a company incurs when producing goods and services. Variable costs vary with the amount of output produced, and fixed costs remain the same no matter how much a company produces.

What is a fixed cost simple definition?

Fixed costs are those expenditures that do not change based on sales (or lack thereof). That is, they are set expenses the business has committed to that are not tied to production volume. Common fixed business costs include: Rent/lease payments or mortgage. Salaries.

Why fixed cost is important?

The most significant benefit of fixed costs is they are easy to budget. You know over each period what these costs will be, and you don’t need to make any budget accommodations if production increases suddenly.

Is electricity bill a fixed cost?

Utilities– the cost of electricity, gas, phones, trash and sewer services, etc. However, utilities are generally considered fixed costs, since the company must pay a minimum amount regardless of its output.

Why factory rent is fixed cost?

For example, the rent for a production facility is a fixed cost if the rent will not change when there are reasonable changes in the amount of output or input. Many manufacturing overhead costs are fixed and the amounts occur in large increments.

Are wages a fixed cost?

Wages paid to workers for their regular hours are a fixed cost. Any extra time they spend on the job is a variable cost.

Fixed cost includes expenses that remain constant for a period of time irrespective of the level of outputs, like rent, salaries, and loan payments, while variable costs are expenses that change directly and proportionally to the changes in business activity level or volume, like direct labor, taxes, and operational …

What are fixed costs of a business?

Fixed costs are those expenditures that do not change based on sales (or lack thereof). That is, they are set expenses the business has committed to that are not tied to production volume. Common fixed business costs include: Rent/lease payments or mortgage. Business insurance.

What are fixed costs give three examples?

Here are several examples of fixed costs:

  • Amortization. This is the gradual charging to expense of the cost of an intangible asset (such as a purchased patent) over the useful life of the asset.
  • Depreciation.
  • Insurance.
  • Interest expense.
  • Property taxes.
  • Rent.
  • Salaries.
  • Utilities.

Which is the best definition of a fixed cost?

Definition: A fixed cost is an expense that does not change as production volume increases or decreases within a relevant range.

How does fixed cost change with increase in production?

Although it does not change with an increase in production volume, per-unit fixed cost decreases, which is an encouragement for the production team to produce more; Production output and costs typically remain the same for a relevant range of output.

Why are variable costs less controllable than fixed costs?

They are also less controllable than variable costs because they’re not related to operations or volume. Variable costs, however, change over a specified period and are associated directly to the business activity. These are based on the business performance and the volume of services the business generates.

How is the formula for fixed cost calculated?

Fixed Cost Formula. The formula for fixed cost can be derived by deducting the product of variable cost per unit of production and the number of units produced from the total cost of production. Fixed Cost Formula = Total Cost of Production – Variable Cost per Unit * No. of Units Produced.