Suppose Samantha decides to make onion soup. Which result would be a cost?
Samantha will give up the chance to eat the chicken soup, which would have been tastier than the onion soup. Samantha will save some time. The chicken soup would have taken longer to make than the onion soup.
Samantha is deciding whether to make chicken soup or onion soup for dinner. She wants dinner to be as tasty as possible. But she is also hungry and wants to eat soon.
Before you decide to do something, it is often helpful to list costs and benefits.
Costs are what you give up or spend when you decide to do something. Costs involve giving up things that you want or need.
Benefits are what you gain or save when you decide to do something. Benefits involve gaining something that you want or need.
This result is a cost. It involves giving up or spending something that Samantha wants or needs:
Samantha will give up the chance to eat the chicken soup, which would have been tastier than the onion soup.