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Operating expense
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<p>An operating expense (opex) is an ongoing cost for running a product, business, or system. Its counterpart, a <i><a href="/facts/Capital_expenditure/tKSPN9KP">capital expenditure</a></i> (capex), is the cost of developing or providing non-consumable parts for the product or system. For example, the purchase of a <a href="/facts/Photocopier/aF7URdyU">photocopier</a> involves capex, and the annual paper, <a href="/facts/Toner_(printing)/3XFFsTpE">toner</a>, power and maintenance costs represents opex. For larger systems like businesses, opex may also include the cost of workers and facility expenses such as rent and utilities. </p>