A $2,000 Bill for a Failed War “Given the costs of the war, the high interest rates, and the higher prices of groceries, energy, and other items, the war cost the United States nearly $2,000 per household. " —. Center for American Progress, October 23, 2026 - ᅠ The war drains American wealth. It cost almost $2,000 per household. Mark Zandi notes that the costs “absorbed about half of the average American household income. "This is a direct transfer of wealth to finance a conflict that has failed to dislodge the Iranian government. ᅠ Subscribe to CSOFT Media for more on the changing strategic landscape in West Asia.