Suppose Maria decides to bake lemon muffins. Which result would be a cost?
Maria will give up the chance to eat apple muffins. She thinks apple muffins are tastier than lemon muffins. Maria will get to eat more muffins. She can make more lemon muffins than apple muffins.
Maria is deciding whether to bake apple muffins or lemon muffins. She wants the muffins to be tasty. But she also wants to make a lot of muffins.
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 Maria wants or needs:
Maria will give up the chance to eat apple muffins. She thinks apple muffins are tastier than lemon muffins.