By Can I Afford It ยท How we calculate this
This group mixes very different decisions: starting a business, changing careers, going back to school, saving for retirement. What they share is that the cost is often ongoing or financed, so the monthly figure is usually the one to weigh against your income.
Up-front costs here run from about $500 (llc formation) to $1,200,000 (self-storage facility). Recurring costs run from about $120 a month (payroll service) to $5,500 a month (medical school tuition).
Typical national prices, not quotes. Financed payments are principal and interest at each item's usual down payment, rate and term, before tax, fees and insurance. 18 of these have a full calculator; any of them can be checked against your income.
| Item | Typical cost | Per month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 401(k) cash-out | $20,000 | One-time | Check it |
| 401(k) loan | $15,000 | $322/mo financed | Check it |
| Adult child support | $500/mo | $500/mo | Check it |
| Alimony | $1,200/mo | $1,200/mo | Check it |
| ATM machine | $3,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Back taxes | $300/mo | $300/mo | Check it |
| Bail | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Bakery | $150,000 | $2,023/mo financed | Check it |
| Bankruptcy filing | $2,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Bookkeeper | $400/mo | $400/mo | Check it |
| Brewery | $500,000 | $5,397/mo financed | Check it |
| Business coach | $500/mo | $500/mo | Check it |
| Business insurance | $150/mo | $150/mo | Check it |
| Business loan | $75,000 | $1,210/mo financed | Check it |
| Business partner buyout | $150,000 | $2,276/mo financed | Check it |
| Business purchase | $250,000 | $2,699/mo financed | Check it |
| Business startup costs | $40,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Buyout decision | $25,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Car wash business | $500,000 | $5,397/mo financed | Check it |
| CDL training | $6,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| CFA program | $4,000 | One-time | Check it |
| CFP certification | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Citizenship application | $760 | One-time | Calculator |
| Cleaning business | $3,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Coding bootcamp | $15,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Coffee cart | $25,000 | $691/mo financed | Check it |
| Combined debt | $20,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Commercial kitchen rental | $800/mo | $800/mo | Check it |
| Cosmetology license | $12,000 | One-time | Check it |
| CPA exam | $3,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Crypto investment | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Custody battle | $10,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Daycare business | $200,000 | $2,294/mo financed | Check it |
| Debt consolidation loan | $20,000 | $6,517/mo financed | Check it |
| Demotion | $600/mo | $600/mo | Check it |
| Digital nomad lifestyle | $1,800/mo | $1,800/mo | Check it |
| Early retirement spending | $5,000/mo | $5,000/mo | Check it |
| Emergency fund savings | $400/mo | $400/mo | Check it |
| Employee | $4,500/mo | $4,500/mo | Check it |
| EMT certification | $1,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Financial advisor | $200/mo | $200/mo | Calculator |
| Firefighter academy | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Food cart | $8,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Food truck | $100,000 | $1,912/mo financed | Calculator |
| Franchise | $35,000 | $378/mo financed | Check it |
| Household expenses | $5,500/mo | $5,500/mo | Check it |
| Ice cream truck | $80,000 | $1,462/mo financed | Check it |
| Immigration lawyer | $4,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Laundromat | $300,000 | $3,238/mo financed | Calculator |
| Law school tuition | $4,000/mo | $4,000/mo | Check it |
| Liquor license | $15,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Living expenses | $5,000/mo | $5,000/mo | Check it |
| Living expenses | $4,000/mo | $4,000/mo | Check it |
| Living expenses | $4,500/mo | $4,500/mo | Check it |
| LLC formation | $500 | One-time | Check it |
| Massage therapy school | $10,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Medical school tuition | $5,500/mo | $5,500/mo | Check it |
| Mobile pet grooming van | $70,000 | $1,279/mo financed | Calculator |
| Moving company | $60,000 | $1,096/mo financed | Calculator |
| Online store startup costs | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Paralegal certificate | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Part-time schedule | $1,500/mo | $1,500/mo | Check it |
| Patent | $10,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Pay cut | $800/mo | $800/mo | Check it |
| Payday loan | $575 | One-time | Check it |
| Payroll service | $120/mo | $120/mo | Check it |
| Personal loan | $15,000 | $399/mo financed | Check it |
| Personal training certification | $1,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Pilot's license | $12,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| PMP certification | $1,500 | One-time | Calculator |
| Pool cleaning business | $4,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Pressure washing business | $5,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Real estate license | $1,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Relocation | $5,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Restaurant | $400,000 | $5,395/mo financed | Check it |
| Retail storefront | $3,500/mo | $3,500/mo | Check it |
| Retirement savings | $1,000/mo | $1,000/mo | Calculator |
| Rideshare driving | $2,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Sabbatical | $25,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Salon suite rental | $500/mo | $500/mo | Calculator |
| Self-storage facility | $1,200,000 | $8,985/mo financed | Check it |
| Snow plow business | $8,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Stock market investing | $500/mo | $500/mo | Check it |
| Teaching certification | $4,000 | One-time | Check it |
| Tow truck business | $90,000 | $1,437/mo financed | Check it |
| Trade school tuition | $600/mo | $600/mo | Check it |
| Trademark | $1,500 | One-time | Check it |
| Turo car | $35,000 | $559/mo financed | Calculator |
| Unpaid leave | $15,000 | One-time | Calculator |
| Vending machine business | $15,000 | $346/mo financed | Check it |
| Virtual assistant | $800/mo | $800/mo | Check it |
| Yoga teacher certification | $3,000 | One-time | Check it |