The phrase "alternative costs" is not correct in standard English; the correct term is "opportunity costs." You can use it when discussing the potential benefits or value lost when choosing one option over another in economics or decision-making contexts.
Example: "When considering the investment, we must evaluate the opportunity costs associated with not pursuing other projects."
Alternatives: "opportunity costs" or "forgone costs".
Imagine an infinitely recyclable product that performs as well as the alternative, costs less to make, and is unquestionably better for the environment.
Scary numbers about carbon policy costs are only meaningful when they are in context and when they are compared with the alternative costs.
The alternative costs benefit analysis will assist ministers in producing figures on the benefits of the scheme to the overall economy, rather than simply focusing on the short-term impact of shorter rail journeys on UK productivity.
If the price tag for this system now looks steep to the mayor, consider the alternative costs to the city's taxpayers if candidates have to rely on fewer and bigger contributors, many seeking favors.
These costs must then be compared to the alternative costs associated with large-scale CO2 sequestration, the practicality of which also remains to be demonstrated.
Examples are presented to show that not all problems are well suited to such approaches, and in those cases, it may be preferable to compute decision surfaces directly by means of alternative costs.
They're looking at alternative cost situations where they can get the same work done at a better price".
White House officials said they hoped that the House Rules Committee would allow an exception to the rules, so Democrats could offer an alternative costing $100 billion over five years.
If you need to replace most or all of your teeth, dentures are clearly the cheaper alternative, costing around $2,500 for a set (upper and lower jaws).
It is highly desirable to develop alternative cost-effective adsorbents for iodine capture and sequestration.
Parking fees are meant to reflect the alternative cost of parking spaces.
