That extravagant, wacky and unique music event, Eurovision, took place over the weekend in the storied music city that is Liverpool, UK.

Hosting in place of Ukraine, for obvious reasons, the UK put on a classic Eurovision event that consisted of the usual, cheesy Europop, weird and wonderful costumes and choreography, but also a strong anti-war message in a show of support for the embattled, Ukraine. 

With such glamourous excess, the question arises: how much did the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest cost? And, more importantly, is it worth it? 

While the exact cost is unknown, initial estimates put the spend at around US $30 million (AU $45M) for the entire event.

As host broadcaster, the BBC is estimated to have spent US $10 to $21 million, while the U.K. government reportedly threw in a further US $12 million.

This is in addition to ticket sales, sponsorship deals, revenues from online platforms and contributions from Liverpool City itself, which is estimated to be US $5 million.

And where do these costs get distributed? 

According to the official Eurovision website, 90% of funds go towards the TV production and the event organisation while 5% covers the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) Eurovision Song Contest team and its partners. 

As to whether putting the 2023 event on was all worth it for the UK, Director of Culture at Liverpool City Council, Claire McColgan, has answered rather emphatically.

“Tourism in Liverpool is worth 47% of our economy. So this isn’t chicken feed for us, this is really, really important.”