What Does Drinking Really Cost You?
Enter your weekly drinks and average cost per drink to see your annual spend, 10-year total, and what that money would be worth invested instead.
The true cost of drinking is what you spend, plus what you never invest.
$1,200
average annual alcohol spend for a moderate social drinker
$17K+
what $1,200/year invested at 7% grows to in 10 years
2 drinks
the recommended low-risk weekly limit per many health guidelines
The real cost of drinking
The true annual cost
A couple of pints three nights a week at $8 each adds up to $2,496 per year — not including rounds, tips, or nights out. Most people significantly underestimate their annual spend until they run the numbers.
The opportunity cost
Money spent on alcohol is money that cannot compound. At 7% annual return, $2,500/year invested grows to over $35,000 in 10 years. Over 30 years, the same habit costs over $236,000 in foregone wealth.
Small reductions have big impact
You do not have to quit entirely to see a difference. Cutting two drinks per week saves roughly $800/year at $8 per drink. That alone, invested over 20 years, adds over $40,000 to your net worth.
How the Alcohol Cost Calculator Works
Enter how many drinks you have per week and your average cost per drink (blending home and out-of-home costs). The calculator multiplies weekly spend by 52 to give your annual total and by 10 for a decade view.
The invested value uses the future value of an annuity formula at 7% annual return — showing what your annual alcohol budget would grow to if invested in a broad market index fund over 10 years.