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The Global Insight

What is the difference between variable costs and fixed costs give an example?

Author

John Hall

Updated on February 22, 2026

Fixed Cost is definite; it will incur even when there is no units are produced. On the other hand, variable cost remains constant in per unit. Examples of fixed cost are rent, tax, salary, depreciation, fees, duties, insurance, etc. Examples of variable cost are packing expenses, freight, material consumed, wages, etc.

What is the difference between fixed cost variable cost and semi variable cost?

Fixed Costs – costs that do not change with output. Variable Costs – costs that vary in direct proportion to output. Semi-variable costs – costs that are a combination of the above, with both a fixed and variable element.

What’s the difference between fixed costs and variable costs?

In accounting, fixed costs are expenses that remain constant for a period of time irrespective of the level of outputs. Variable costs are expenses that change directly and proportionally to the changes in business activity level or volume. Even if the output is nil, fixed costs are incurred.

What’s the difference between fixed, variable and semi variable?

Based on variability, the costs has been classified into three categories, they are fixed, variable and semi variable. Fixed costs, as its name suggests, is fixed in total i.e. irrespective of the number of output produced. Variable costs vary with the number of output produced.

What does it mean when fixed cost remains constant?

Fixed Cost remains constant does not mean that they are not going to change in future, but they tend to be fixed in the short run.

Which is the formula for determining fixed cost?

The formula for determining a company’s fixed cost is the difference between total production cost and product of the number of units produced and per-unit cost of production. Total Fixed Cost = Total cost of production – (number of units produced x cost of per unit of production) Let us understand the concept with an example.