Meeting Cost Calculator
Turn a meeting’s length and headcount into its real payroll cost — per meeting, per minute, and annualised if it repeats.
How it works
cost = attendees × (minutes ÷ 60) × hourly rate · annual = cost × times per week × 52
A meeting’s true cost is the salary you pay everyone to be in the room, not just the calendar slot. Multiplying headcount by the fraction of an hour and by a loaded hourly rate (salary plus overhead) surfaces a number that recurring status meetings quietly rack up all year. Seeing the per-minute figure and the annualised total is a fast reality check on whether an agenda, a shorter slot, or a smaller invite list would pay for itself.
Worked example
Six people in a 60-minute meeting at $75 an hour is 6 × 1 × $75 = $450, or $7.50 a minute. Held weekly, that is $450 × 52 = $23,400 a year.
Frequently asked questions
What hourly rate should I use?
Use a fully loaded rate — gross salary plus benefits, taxes and overhead, which is often 1.3–1.5× base pay — divided by about 2,080 working hours a year. If attendees earn very different amounts, use a weighted average.
Does this include preparation time?
No, it counts only time in the meeting. Real cost is higher once you add prep, follow-ups and the context-switching around the meeting, so treat this as a floor.
How do I use the annual figure?
It shows what a standing meeting costs over a year if it runs the number of times per week you enter. Compare that to the value the meeting produces, or against the saving from trimming it by 15 minutes.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.