Meeting cost formula
Meeting cost = attendees × duration in hours × average hourly cost × overhead multiplier.
Example: 8 attendees × 1 hour × $80/hour × 1.25 = $800 for one meeting.
1. Count attendees
Use the number of people in the meeting. For planning, roles are usually less important than total participant time. Do not enter employee names or individual salary details.
2. Convert duration to hours
Thirty minutes is 0.5 hours. A 90-minute meeting is 1.5 hours. Recurring meetings should be annualized separately because the repeated cost is the real issue.
3. Pick an average hourly cost
Use a blended average for the group. If you start from annual compensation, divide by expected working hours and then decide whether to apply a loaded-cost multiplier.
4. Apply a visible multiplier
A multiplier can represent rough employer overhead or loaded cost. It is an estimate, not payroll, accounting, tax, HR, or legal advice.
Recurring meeting formula
Annual meeting cost = single meeting cost × meetings per week × active weeks per year.
A weekly $800 meeting across 48 active weeks costs $38,400 per year. This is why recurring meetings deserve a separate calculator.
Calculate recurring meeting cost · Convert salary to hourly meeting cost
Common mistakes
- Counting only the organizer's time.
- Using exact salaries when a safe average is enough.
- Forgetting the overhead multiplier is an assumption.
- Optimizing one meeting while ignoring the recurring series.
FAQ
What hourly cost should I use?
Use an average loaded hourly cost for the group when possible. If you only have salaries, convert compensation into hourly cost and keep the result as an estimate.
Should I include overhead?
Use the overhead multiplier only if you want a rough loaded-cost view. Keep it visible so the result is not confused with exact payroll math.
Last reviewed July 20, 2026.