PIP: The rural health post at Catripulli, Chile, was studied throughout 1986 in attempt to determine the true direct and indirect costs of operating a primary health care facility. The Catripulli health post served 743 persons. It was visited once each month by a health team from its associated hospital. During 1986, the post provided .71 consultations for illness per inhabitant, 6.6 check-ups per child under 6, 1.6 midwife consultations per women aged 15-44, 1.8 home visits per family, 40 group education sessions, and 1.4 minor procedures per inhabitant. The equivalent cost per inhabitant was US $8.80. 51.6% of expenses were charged to the National Program for Supplementary Feeding. 36.6% of expenses were for personnel and .4% for the immunization program. The salary of the paramedical living at the post accounted for 58.6% of personnel costs, the physician 14.7%, the nurse 11.7%, the midwife 10.5%, and the driver 4.5%. Pharmacy expenditures accounted for 3.1% of expenditures. Other expenditures were for maintenance, fuel, cleaning, office supplies, and similar items. 20% of the annual cost of operation was for the 12 visits by the hospital health team. It was estimated that during 1986, each check-up of a child under 6 years cost US $5.80, each home visit cost $2.60, each group education session cost $1.60, and each minor procedure cost $.60. The relatively high cost of visits for children under 6 was due primarily to indirect costs of supplementary feeding. The relatively low cost of consultations for illness was due largely to the simplicity of the available drugs.