Költséghászon

Költséghászon is a Hungarian term that refers to the concept of cost-benefit in economics and policy evaluation. It combines költség (cost) and haszon (benefit) as a compound, and is used to describe the balance or calculus of costs and benefits in decision-making, typically within a költség-haszonelemzés (cost-benefit analysis).

In practice, a költséghászon assessment identifies and quantifies costs (capital expenditure, operating costs, maintenance, opportunity costs) and benefits (revenue, savings, avoided costs, external benefits) over a chosen time horizon. Monetary values are assigned where possible, and future values are converted to present value using a discount rate. Outcomes include metrics such as net present value, benefit-cost ratio, and internal rate of return, as well as qualitative judgments for non-monetary effects.

Applications include public infrastructure, environmental projects, and policy measures; it helps decision-makers compare alternatives and allocate resources efficiently. Sensitivity analyses test how results change with different assumptions.

Critics argue that monetizing all effects may overlook non-market values, distributional impacts, and equity considerations. The method depends on assumptions about discount rates and monetization, which can influence conclusions.