How much does a meeting cost?

For a team of 5 with an average salary of $80,000, a 1-hour meeting costs approximately $153.85. A daily 30-minute standup costs about $769 per month.

How can I reduce meeting costs?

Keep meetings short, invite only essential attendees, have clear agendas, and consider async alternatives like email or Slack for updates.

Why Your Meetings Are More Expensive Than You Think

Most companies don't realize how much their meetings actually cost. When you add up all the salaries of everyone in the room, the numbers can be shocking.

The Hidden Cost Formula

To calculate the cost of a meeting, use this formula:

Meeting Cost = (Hourly Rate × Attendees × Duration) ÷ 60

The hourly rate is typically your annual salary ÷ 2,080 standard work hours.

Real-World Examples

Daily Standup (15 min, 5 people)

Average salary: $80,000 → Hourly rate: $38.46
Cost per meeting: $38.46 × 5 × 0.25 = $48.08
Monthly cost (22 workdays): $1,057

Weekly Team Meeting (1 hour, 8 people)

Average salary: $85,000 → Hourly rate: $40.87
Cost per meeting: $40.87 × 8 × 1 = $326.96
Monthly cost (4 meetings): $1,307.84

The Annual Impact

For a company with 50 employees spending an average of 15 hours per week in meetings:

Annual meeting cost: $1.2 million
That's equivalent to 15 full-time salaries
Or 6% of total payroll

How to Reduce Meeting Costs

Set a clear agenda: Every meeting should have a purpose
Invite fewer people: Only those who need to be there
Keep it short: 25 or 50 minutes instead of 30 or 60
Use async alternatives: Email, Slack, or Loom for updates
Track meeting time: What gets measured gets managed

Try Our Calculator

Want to see how much your meetings really cost? Use our free Meeting Cost Calculator to calculate the true cost of every meeting.