affordable to maintain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "affordable to maintain" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the cost-effectiveness of keeping something in good condition, such as a property, vehicle, or equipment. Example: "The new model of the car is not only fuel-efficient but also affordable to maintain, making it a great choice for budget-conscious buyers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

At the same time, a slashing of the defence budget made it no longer affordable to maintain a naval aviation branch, and the carrier Bonaventure was scrapped in 1970.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The rabbit is readily acquired and reasonably affordable to maintain.

The Spine Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

A government decision to let housing developers scrap affordable homes to maintain profits is "storing up trouble for the future" and fuelling nimbyism, a leading Tory council has warned.

The Guardian

Affordable and easy to maintain?

The New York Times

Taken as a whole, these regulations aren't necessarily coherent, but each component has its own rationale from providing affordable housing to maintaining scenic views or sunlight.

TechCrunch

In return for a series of tax breaks, the owners agreed to maintain affordable rents and limit their profit to 6percentt.

The New York Times

To maintain affordable electricity and gas bills, keep the lights on and go green, the coalition began reforming them on day one.

The Guardian - Opinion

That means communities are fighting to maintain affordable airline service as airlines cut back on flights to money-losing markets.. "There are very few communities that are going to lose access to the rest of the world," Mr. Boyd said.

The New York Times

Housing advocates hope that this rejection will tamper the speculative sales of other Mitchell-Lama buildings that have drawn concern over the last few years as the buildings have sunseted out of their legal obligations to maintain affordable rents.

The New York Times

At the current tax rates in prime neighborhoods, the developers say, there is no financial incentive to maintain affordable apartments in their buildings; a tax cap would help alleviate that problem, they say.

The New York Times

One of the added benefits of preserving tenants in their homes is that it helps to maintain affordable housing.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing long-term investments or purchases, use "affordable to maintain" to highlight the overall cost-effectiveness, including upkeep expenses, rather than just the initial price.

Common error

Don't assume that a low initial price guarantees that something will be "affordable to maintain". Factor in potential repair costs, energy consumption, and other recurring expenses when evaluating long-term affordability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "affordable to maintain" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, describing its characteristic of being cost-effective in the long run. It commonly follows a verb like "is", "are", or "become", as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "affordable to maintain" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that describes something that is not only cheap to buy initially but also inexpensive to keep in good working order over time. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that this phrase is most frequently found in News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias. Although not extremely common, its meaning is clear and its use is consistent with standard English. As highlighted by Ludwig, it's crucial to consider the long-term costs associated with ownership and operation, not just the initial purchase price, in order to ensure overall affordability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Economical to keep up

Replaces "affordable" with a synonym emphasizing financial prudence and "maintain" with a synonym of "keep up".

Inexpensive to upkeep

Substitutes "affordable" with "inexpensive", which has a similar meaning, and "maintain" with a synonym of "upkeep".

Cost-effective to preserve

Replaces "affordable" with "cost-effective" to highlight value, and "maintain" with "preserve" that focuses on longevity.

Reasonable to service

Uses "reasonable" instead of "affordable" to suggest fairness in price and "service" instead of "maintain" to highlight the action of upkeep.

Budget-friendly to run

Emphasizes the budgetary aspect of affordability and changes "maintain" to "run" to imply operational upkeep.

Easy and cheap to care for

Splits the phrase to separately address ease and cost, using "care for" as a substitute for "maintain".

Simple to keep in good condition without great expense

Expands the phrase to fully explain the concept of affordability and maintenance in a longer, descriptive manner.

Not too expensive to keep in working order

Focuses on the cost aspect and clarifies the "maintain" action as keeping something in working order.

Modestly priced for continued use

Replaces "affordable" with "modestly priced", emphasizing the price point, and clarifies "maintain" as relating to continued use.

Manageable cost for continuous operation

Uses "manageable cost" to convey affordability and replaces "maintain" with "continuous operation" to emphasize ongoing functionality.

FAQs

How can I use "affordable to maintain" in a sentence?

You can use "affordable to maintain" to describe items or systems where the long-term costs of upkeep are low. For example, "This car is not only fuel-efficient but also "affordable to maintain", making it a great choice for budget-conscious buyers."

What's a good synonym for "affordable to maintain"?

Alternatives to "affordable to maintain" include "economical to keep up", "inexpensive to upkeep", or "cost-effective to preserve". These phrases all emphasize the balance between cost and upkeep.

Is it better to say "affordable to maintain" or "cheap to maintain"?

"Affordable to maintain" is generally preferred over "cheap to maintain" as it suggests a balance between cost and quality. "Cheap" can imply low quality, whereas "affordable" suggests a manageable long-term cost. You can also consider "budget-friendly to run".

What factors contribute to something being "affordable to maintain"?

Factors that make something "affordable to maintain" include low repair costs, high reliability, energy efficiency, and readily available and inexpensive replacement parts. Essentially, it means that the ongoing costs of keeping something in good working order are manageable. Also, it can be "easy and cheap to care for".