How much does it cost to save a life?

$200 or $2,000 potentially saving a life would not be surprising to me at all considering in some countries people are living on a few U.S. dollars a day or less.. However I would point out that a donation of any amount can save a life because if that net costs $2,000 and the aid organization is $5 short of that goal a tiny $5 donation can save a life. A few hundred dollars can buy water filters which can remove dangerous toxins and disease like the Lifesaver bottles or the larger Lifesaver Jerrycan. When you are considering charitable giving you should base the decision of how much to donate on how much you feel you can spare and try to find an aid organization with a good clean reputation you trust. If you are concerned about trusting such aid organizations you might want to look into http://www.kiva.org  which has now been around for some time. This site is really amazing because it allows you to browse profiles of persons in third world companies that want to start their own business and need micro loans. They fill out requests for micro-loans that are then searchable on the site. Maybe they need a few hundred to start a job as a bike currier or some other small business. Last time I looked they have a single digit default rate. Update 98.97% Repayment rate for 239,053,200 in ended loans. This can make a huge difference directly in someones life by moving them out of poverty. When the loan is repaid you can then roll it into a new loan for a different person. You can also spread the money you loan amongst many people and combine your loan with other users loans to reach the persons funding goal and spread out your risk. If you raise someone out of crushing poverty you can not only save a life but change it forever.

It really depends. There are so many factors to be considered. Most charities don't voice their goals as "saving someones life" rather improving the entire area as a whole. Check out charity databases (such as this one: http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au ) and browse around, I'm sure you'll find an answer to you question. Good luck.

Varies from country to country. In Africa something ridiculous like $100, in New York, it is much more of course.

Yes, it is possible for you as an individual to save a life at remarkably low cost. The average American can save one life each year by donating one tenth of their income. Examples from the Disease Control Priorities Project's calculations [1]: Malaria:  $19 to US$85 for insecticide-treated nets, US$32 to US$58 for two rounds of spraying per year, US$3 to US$12 for chemoprophylaxis for children, US$4 to US$29 for intermittent preventive treatment for pregnant women. Bottom line: ~$20-40 per Disability-Adjusted Life Year. A disability-adjusted life year saved is (roughly) a year of additional healthy life. Family planning: $87 - $163 per birth averted; $1,367 - $4,907 per infant death averted ("offering family planning alone was considerably more cost-effective in averting both maternal and infant deaths than offering an integrated program including prenatal care and birth attendant training"). Bottom line: $40-60 per Disability-Adjusted Life Year saved. AIDS prevention and treatment: Condom distribution nips HIV in the bud at a cost of $20-200 per Disability-Adjusted Life Year, and first-line antiretroviral drugs can defer AIDS-induced disability at a cost of $50-500 per Disability-Adjusted Life Year. If these numbers are about right, two things follow: (1) Think globally, act globally. Donations given to effective charities in the developing world have a much greater effect on human welfare than donations to effective charities in the developed world. (2) A human life on average is 66 years, and the cost of 66 DALYs is ~$4K taking the average of the examples above. US GDP per capita is $49K/year (mean household income is $60K/year). Therefore, the average American can save 1 life each year by giving ~10% of their income to an effective charity working in the developing world. [1]: http://www.dcp2.org/pubs/DCP. The Disease Control Priorities Project is a large academic collaboration funded by the World Bank, the Gates Foundation, and the WHO. Note there has been some criticism of the DCP 2nd edition (e.g. http://blog.givewell.org/2011/09/29/errors-in-dcp2-cost-effectiveness-estimate-for-deworming/ ). However, I am not aware of any other reports of similar scope and detail to the DCP.

There are many answers to this one, and some have already been mentioned. Here's my take: it costs whatever you want to give, i.e. anything rather than nothing; given to a reputable aid organisation, it will help someone, somewhere; when put together with other peoples' donations, it will save at least one life, somewhere. "Giving what you can afford" is never going to be a viable option for most people, rightly or wrongly. We work hard and we want to dispose of our disposable income to buy stuff; but give something, even if it's 5 $/€/£/ a year. If everybody gave $1 or $5 rather than a few giving hundreds or thousands, there would be more money than ever before. However much money you give, you shouldn't asked "how many lives has MY money saved?" I'll just repeat it: just give something... a bit of money, a bit of your time rather than nothing.

I am not aware of other countries but in India, Philanthropy and Charities are being considered as free money.  The money 80% of it going waste or going into the pockets of organizers.  It is too difficult to identify the real needy person and actual needy people are not getting the required help.  The aged homes, welfare homes are orphan homes required to be registered and then there must be a an association and incorporation procedure and then when donations are coming that money is spent on vehicles, rents, salaries and the balance is being given to few needy people. The western idea of sending money through Church has to be changed drastically.  They need to have their own auditing to see whether money is being spent in right way or not. Coming to your question: There are 3 types of requirements: 1. Education support 2. Health support - for aged as well as young/ infants who are orphans / patients etc., 3. Total care for women - who are left on the road. The question is that the machinery and administration charges are more than actual cost of help. It is just 10 to 20 % then rent, transport, salaries and purchases will be 60 to 80% I thought of just having a second hand vehicle and a house at far off place ( so I can get for cheap rent ) by which I can collect people and keep them in that house and look after them.  I have to form a NGO I need to get the permission If foreign funds are coming I need RBI approval If local funds are coming ( which is out of question) I need Income Tax approval Then I need a security who will not misbehave with inmates so on... For $1000 in month - it can run with 20 inmates ( may be more) in India, where again, I can organize weekly public donation rallies - not for money 0 but Cloths, vegetables, books and other things.. which many people can spare.