Learn in the textbookEconomic Evaluation
DefinitionTCO (Total Cost of Ownership 総所有コスト) is the total amount spent on a system from its introduction until its disposal.
ExplanationIt is found by adding the initial cost paid at introduction to the operating cost paid while the system runs. An option with a low purchase price can end up costing more over the years of use if its yearly costs are high, so several options should be compared on their totals.
AnalogyIt is the same thinking as choosing a home appliance by adding several years of electricity bills to the sticker price, not by the price alone.
Memory hookOwnership means "having something." The term points to the cost across the whole time you have the system, not the moment you buy it.