The host country pays for the olympics - so the tax payer of the host country pays for the cost of the games.
Saying that - most countries tend to at least make the money back through ticket sales, etc - and by selling the stadiums and event buildings to private companies afterwards.
Although some countries HAVE made massive financial losses from the Olympics. Whilst Australia has benefited financially from the Games in 2000 - Greece was much less lucky in 2004.
That's hard to answer mostly because when you say "the Olympics", it's an event that comes together through the interests of a number of individuals, corporations and committees.
There is the cost of individual training which can start out-of-pocket for athletes and their families. Then they may get corporate or government sponsorship if they show promise - depending on the country and available opportunies, that cost can vary widely.
In some countries/sports, joining the Olympic team can come with hefty application / registration fees.
Countries/ cities bid for the opportunity to host the olympics. The research, planning and proposal drafting all cost a great deal of money. If the country wins the bid - the constructions of venues and hiring of personnel to support all of the events all cost money.
The number of competing atheletes a country sends over, which sports they're in and what equipment etc they need to send are also part of the cost.
HEre's an article to captures the data, I found it kind of hard to understand but it does seem to answer your question the best:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/datablog...
The country hosting the games is where the money comes from. Therefore, this year Britain is paying for the games. They pay for pretty much everything and then (usually) regain their money and more through ticket and souvenir sales, advertising etc. Only in rare cases has hosting the Olympics hurt the host country financially.
As for the athletes attending the games, their sponsors typically pay for them to compete.
NBC and the other international broadcast networks pay billions of dollars to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). While the country pays to build any needed structures and facilities, the IOC pays for the costs of running the games themselves with funds from the networks.
The host country is the only country that pays for it.
The country where the host city is located.
Well, it's hosted by the UK this year, and the UK has paid for it.
The funding for such a spectacular event must come from somewhere... so who pays for the olympics? and which country pays the most?
