How do I use this event budget calculator?

Enter your overall budget and expected attendees, then fill in estimated and actual costs for each category such as venue, catering, AV, and marketing. The calculator automatically totals costs, shows cost per attendee, and highlights variance between budgeted and actual spend.

What types of events can this budget calculator handle?

You can use this tool for conferences, trade shows, workshops, weddings, fundraisers, corporate offsites, or any event with multiple cost categories. You can rename categories, add custom line items, and adjust quantities and unit costs to match your event.

How is event cost per attendee calculated?

Cost per attendee is calculated by dividing the total event cost by the number of attendees. The calculator shows both budgeted cost per attendee (based on your estimates) and actual cost per attendee (based on your actual spend and final attendance).

What is budget variance in event planning?

Budget variance is the difference between your estimated (budgeted) cost and your actual cost. A positive variance means you are under budget, while a negative variance means you are over budget. This calculator shows variance by line item, by category, and for the total event.

Can I export or save my event budget?

You can print the page or export to PDF using your browser's print dialog. For more advanced workflows, you can copy the table into a spreadsheet or project management tool and use this calculator as a quick planning and validation step.

Event Budget Calculator

Estimate, track, and compare your event budget vs. actual spend by category. Ideal for conferences, weddings, fundraisers, and corporate events.

Event name

Event date

Expected attendees

Budget by category

Category	Item	Qty	Unit cost	Est. total	Actual total	Variance	%	Remove
Category totals:				$0	$0	$0	0%

Tip: Enter either estimated or actual costs (or both). Variance is calculated as Actual − Estimated.

Summary

Budget vs. Actual

Estimated total: $0
Actual total: $0
Variance (Actual − Est.): $0
Variance %: 0%

Per attendee

Estimated cost / attendee: $0
Actual cost / attendee: $0
Break-even ticket price*: $0

*Assumes ticket revenue is your only income source and you want to cover total estimated cost.

How to use the Event Budget Calculator

This calculator helps you build a complete event budget, compare quotes, and track actual spend. It’s more flexible than static templates because you can add unlimited line items, adjust quantities and unit costs, and instantly see the impact on your totals.

1. Set up your event

Event name & date – for your own reference and for printing/exporting.
Expected attendees – used to calculate cost per attendee and break-even ticket price.

2. Fill in budget line items

The table starts with common event budget categories inspired by professional event-planning checklists:

Venue & rentals – room rental, furniture, staging, décor.
Catering & F&B – food, beverages, service charges, gratuities.
AV & production – sound, lighting, projection, streaming.
Marketing & registration – ads, design, ticketing fees.
Speakers & entertainment – honoraria, travel, performance fees.
Staff & operations – staff, security, cleaning, insurance.
Travel & lodging – flights, hotels, local transport.
Contingency & misc. – buffer for unexpected costs.

For each line item you can enter:

Qty – number of units (e.g., 150 meals, 2 projectors, 3 nights).
Unit cost – cost per unit (e.g., $45 per meal, $300 per night).
Estimated total – auto-calculated as Qty × Unit cost, but you can override it manually.
Actual total – what you actually spent once invoices arrive.

3. Understand the calculations

Estimated line total

$ \text{Estimated total} = \text{Quantity} \times \text{Unit cost} $

Variance (per line)

$ \text{Variance} = \text{Actual total} - \text{Estimated total} $

Variance % (per line)

$ \text{Variance \%} = \dfrac{\text{Variance}}{\text{Estimated total}} \times 100 $

Event totals

$ \text{Estimated total (event)} = \sum \text{Estimated total}_i $

$ \text{Actual total (event)} = \sum \text{Actual total}_i $

$ \text{Variance (event)} = \text{Actual total} - \text{Estimated total} $

Cost per attendee

$ \text{Estimated cost/attendee} = \dfrac{\text{Estimated total}}{\text{Attendees}} $

$ \text{Actual cost/attendee} = \dfrac{\text{Actual total}}{\text{Attendees}} $

4. Use variance to control your budget

Variance highlights where you are over or under budget:

Positive variance (Actual < Estimated) – you spent less than planned.
Negative variance (Actual > Estimated) – you overspent.

Monitoring variance by category helps you decide where to cut costs or where you can afford to invest more (e.g., upgrading catering if you saved on venue).

5. Best practices for event budgeting

Get multiple quotes for big-ticket items (venue, AV, catering) and enter the chosen quote as your estimate.
Include taxes, fees, and gratuities in your unit costs so you don’t underestimate.
Add a contingency line (typically 5–15% of total budget) for unexpected expenses.
Update actuals in real time as contracts are signed and invoices are paid.
Review cost per attendee to validate your ticket pricing or sponsorship targets.