The Cost of War

Contrast military munitions with societal opportunity costs.

📜 The Origins

Inspired by the 'Opportunity Cost' economic principle. Every dollar spent on munitions is a dollar not spent on hospitals, schools, or social infrastructure.

🚀 Master the Tool

Select a piece of military hardware to see its procurement cost. We'll automatically convert that price tag into societal equivalents like teacher salaries, surgeons, or school buildings.

The Cost of War
Visualizing the opportunity cost of modern military investment vs. societal benefit.
Global Impact
$2.4T+ / yr
$15,000
0.556518 SECONDS
OF THE GLOBAL DEFENSE ENGINE FUNDED BY YOU
The Destruction
$480,000
Per unit procurement cost
Socio-Economic Value
1.5x
Surgeon Salaries
0.1x
Primary Schools Built
48x
Scholarships Provided
Section 01

Opportunity Cost

Every dollar spent on munitions is a dollar that cannot be used for healthcare, housing, or education.

Section 02

The Industrial Cycle

Military spending is often locked into multi-decade contracts that persist regardless of peace.

Section 03

Long-term Debt

Wars are rarely funded by current taxes; they are funded by borrowing against future generations.

Pro Tips

01A single Stinger missile costs as much as a surgeon's annual salary.
02F-35 jets are the most expensive weapons program in history.
03The Global military spend is now over $2.4 Trillion annually.

The Fine Print (FAQ)