What Could We Buy Instead?
Select a number to see what it could fund instead.
Everyday Costs
School Lunch
Average cost to produce one free school lunch under NSLP
$4
165,616,797,900funded with the war budget
Source: USDA
Gallon of Gas
National average price per gallon of regular gasoline
$4
180,285,714,285funded with the war budget
Source: AAA
Bag of Groceries
Average spending per grocery store trip for a US household
$35
18,028,571,428funded with the war budget
Source: FMI / USDA
Month of Diapers
Average monthly diaper cost for one baby
$80
7,887,500,000funded with the war budget
Source: National Diaper Bank Network
Monthly Internet Bill
Average monthly cost of home broadband internet service
$75
8,413,333,333funded with the war budget
Source: FCC / BLS
Bus Fare
Average single-ride fare on US public transit
$3
229,454,545,454funded with the war budget
Source: APTA
Doctor Visit
Average primary care office visit without insurance
$171
3,690,058,479funded with the war budget
Source: HCCI
Ambulance Ride
Average ground ambulance bill in the United States
$1,277
494,126,859funded with the war budget
Source: KFF
Year of Insulin
Annual out-of-pocket insulin cost for an uninsured diabetic
$6,000
105,166,666funded with the war budget
Source: KFF / RAND
Investing in People
Year of College (In-State)
Average in-state tuition and fees at a public 4-year institution
$11,371
55,492,041funded with the war budget
Source: College Board 2025-26
Teacher Salary (1 Year)
Average US public school teacher salary
$74,200
8,504,043funded with the war budget
Source: NEA 2025
Student Loan Forgiven
Average outstanding federal student loan balance per borrower
$37,850
16,671,070funded with the war budget
Source: Federal Reserve / Education Data Initiative 2025
Build a Public Library
Average cost to construct a new public library
$20.0M
31,550funded with the war budget
Source: ALA
Build an Elementary School
Average cost to construct a new elementary school
$40.0M
15,775funded with the war budget
Source: NCES
Building Things
Median Home
Median existing-home sale price in the US
$435,000
1,450,574funded with the war budget
Source: NAR Jan 2026
Public Playground
Average community playground construction cost
$500,000
1,262,000funded with the war budget
Source: NRPA
Pothole Filled
Average cost to fill a single pothole on a US road
$50
12,620,000,000funded with the war budget
Source: TRIP / ARTBA
Solar Panel Installation
Average cost to install residential rooftop solar before tax credits
$25,000
25,240,000funded with the war budget
Source: EnergySage / SEIA 2025
Fire Truck
Average cost of a new fire engine or ladder truck
$1.0M
631,000funded with the war budget
Source: NFPA
Build a Fire Station
Average new fire station construction cost
$8.0M
78,875funded with the war budget
Source: NFPA
Build a Hospital
Average cost to build a community hospital
$150.0M
4,206funded with the war budget
Source: AHA / RSMeans 2025
Policies They Say We "Can't Afford"
End Homelessness (1 Year)
Estimated annual cost to provide housing to every unhoused American
$20.00B
31funded with the war budget
Source: HUD / National Alliance to End Homelessness
Universal School Meals (1 Year)
Cost to provide free breakfast and lunch to every student nationwide
$21.00B
30funded with the war budget
Source: USDA NSLP estimates
Universal Pre-K (1 Year)
Annual cost of universal pre-K for all 3 and 4-year-olds
$35.10B
17funded with the war budget
Source: Penn Wharton Budget Model
Universal Childcare (1 Year)
Federal cost of universal childcare for ages 0-4
$70.00B
9funded with the war budget
Source: Moody's Analytics
Paid Parental Leave (12 Weeks)
Cost of 12 weeks paid leave at the national median weekly wage for one new parent
$13,740
45,924,308funded with the war budget
Source: CBO / BLS median wage 2025
Fund SNAP for a Year
Full annual budget for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
$101.70B
6funded with the war budget
Source: FY2025 federal budget
The Real Cost of War
Since February 27, 2026, the United States has spent $631.00B on its war with Iran. That is $1,375,000,000 every single day, or $15,914 every second. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is now asking Congress for an additional $200 billion to continue the campaign.
That money could have paid the salaries of 8.5M teachers, built 4.2K hospitals, or provided 105.2M years of insulin to Americans who cannot afford it.
It could have ended homelessness in America for 31.6 years, funded universal pre-K for 18.0 years, and fed every student in America for 30.0 years, all at the same time, and there would still be billions left over.
On April 1, at an Easter reception at the White House, President Trump told guests: “We’re fighting wars. We can’t take care of daycare.” He said it is not possible for the federal government to pay for daycare, Medicaid, or Medicare because “We have to take care of one thing: military protection.” They cannot afford to feed every student in America. They cannot afford to end homelessness. But somehow, there is always money for another war.