What is the difference between Expensive and Costly? How to distinguish between Expensive and Costly. Let's see the following examples.

 

This bike is costly.

This bike is expensive.

Buying all those old cars was a expensive mistake.

Buying all those old cars was a costly mistake.

 

 

Expensive: Used for something usual, or regular buy or pay (expensive tickets, bikes, clothes etc)

Costly: Used for something unusual or rare that costs a lot (costly diamond rings) especially waste of money or cost a lot of money to correct or replace (costly mistake)