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Prepositions after adjectives

How to use 'costly' with prepositions

'Costly to' and 'costly for' are both common but express different relationships. 'Costly in' is used for the area in which losses occur.

Quick answer

Choosing the right preposition

Use 'costly to' for the person or organisation affected by expense or damage. Use 'costly for' when something creates difficulty or expense for someone. Use 'costly in' when describing the area or resource where losses happen.

The mistake was costly to the company.
Higher taxes are costly for small businesses.
The project was costly in both time and money.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
costly to + person/group

Who suffers the cost or damage

Use 'costly to' for the person, company, or group negatively affected.

The delay was costly to investors.
2
costly for + person/activity

Difficulty or expense for someone

Use 'costly for' when discussing burden or expense in a broader situation.

The policy is costly for families.
3
costly in + resource

Area of loss or expense

Use 'costly in' to specify what is being lost, such as time, energy, or money.

The repairs were costly in manpower.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
costly to
The error was costly to the team.
The team suffered loss or damage.
costly for
The new rules are costly for startups.
The situation creates expense or burden for them.
costly in
The process is costly in time.
The expense occurs in a particular resource or area.
costly at
The project was costly at first.
'At first' is a time phrase, not a fixed pattern after 'costly'.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using 'costly in' for affected people

Use 'costly to' for people or organisations that suffer losses.

✕ The mistake was costly in the company. ✓ The mistake was costly to the company.

Confusing 'to' and 'for'

'Costly to' focuses on who suffers loss; 'costly for' often describes burden or difficulty.

✕ The change was costly to small businesses to manage. ✓ The change was costly for small businesses to manage.

Using 'costly of'

'Costly of' is not a standard combination.

✕ The delay was costly of the team. ✓ The delay was costly to the team.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The lawsuit was costly ___ the company.
2. The process is costly ___ both time and energy.
3. Higher rent is costly ___ students.

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Frequently asked questions

Is 'costly to' more common than 'costly for'?

Both are standard, but they express different relationships.

Can 'costly in' refer to money?

Yes. You can say something is 'costly in money, time, or effort'.

Is 'costly for me' correct?

Yes. It means something creates expense or difficulty for you.

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