Suppose Juan decides to bake coffee cake muffins. Which result would be a cost?
Juan will get to eat more muffins. He can make more coffee cake muffins than apple muffins. Juan will give up the chance to eat apple muffins. He thinks apple muffins are tastier than coffee cake muffins.
Juan is deciding whether to bake apple muffins or coffee cake muffins. He wants the muffins to be tasty. But he 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 Juan wants or needs:
Juan will give up the chance to eat apple muffins. He thinks apple muffins are tastier than coffee cake muffins.