Is there a difference between 費用 and 支出?


Both of these words appeared on my N3 flashcards, and they both can translate
to cost or expense according to dictionaries. Example sentences had a tendency
to translate 費用 as "cost" and 支出 as "expense", but I can't tell if that means
anything significant or not.

In English, "cost" and "expense" are typically interchangeable, except in
accounting where they mean separate but specific things. Is this true in
Japanese with these words too? If not, what's the difference between them?




**費用** : the money for obtaining something--no matter who pay. Thus you can
translate it as "cost".

**支出** : the money you spend or use--for whatever purpose. I think a better
translation is "expenditure".

What tax officers find through investigation is 不明な支出. What an hotel charges
you for nothing is 不明な費用.




**費用** : the money for obtaining something--no matter who pay. Thus you can
translate it as "cost".

**支出** : the money you spend or use--for whatever purpose. I think a better
translation is "expenditure".

What tax officers find through investigation is 不明な支出. What an hotel charges
you for nothing is 不明な費用.

