operating expenses; running costs; budget
Refers to the money needed to keep an organization, project, or facility running day-to-day. Often used in contexts like 運営費を賄う (cover operating costs) or 運営費が足りない (operating budget is insufficient).
The annual operating expenses for this facility are about 5 million yen.
We increased volunteers to cut running costs.
維持費 emphasizes maintenance costs, while 運営費 covers the full range of operational expenses including staffing, utilities, and supplies.
Compound of 運営 (operation, management) and 費 (expense, cost). The meaning is transparent from its parts.