Cost

Cost may mean:
 The amount of money needed to buy something
 Something other than money that is used up.  Example: "Going to jail cost 5 years of my life".  This usage is a metaphor.
 Cost function
 Cost of living, the amount of money it costs just to live in a certain place. It includes food, housing, etc.
 Opportunity cost, the value of the next best thing you give up whenever you make a decision.