Economic Rent

- Economic rent is difference between what firms are willing to pay for the input less the minimum amount required to obtain it.

* An Example

- There are two firms A & B

- Both are having their own land

- A is located on the river which lowers A's shipping cost by $10,000 as compared to B
- The demand for A's river location will increase price of A's land to $10,000

- Economic rent = $10,000 

• $10,000 - zero cost for the land

- Economic rent increases

- Economic profit of A = 0

Firms Earn Zero Profit in Long-Run Equilibrium



* With the fixed input such as a unique location, difference between cost of production (LAC = 7) and price ($10) is value or opportunity cost of the input and represents economic rent from the input.

* If opportunity cost of input (rent) is not taken into consideration it may appear that the economic profits exist in long run.