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¿Cuánto viene a costar la comida para las focas y los pulpos?

¿Cuánto viene a costar la comida para las focas y los pulpos?
How much does the food for the seals and the octopuses end up costing?
From Lesson 382:Approximative actions (venir a)·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about ¿Cuánto viene a costar la comida para las focas y los pulpos?

How does viene a costar change the meaning compared to just asking cuesta?
Using the structure venir a + infinitive adds an element of approximation or a final resulting amount. While cuesta just means costs, viene a costar implies it ends up costing or costs approximately that much after everything is calculated.
Could I use llegar a instead of venir a to mean ends up costing?
You could, but they have a slightly different feel. venir a + infinitive is perfect for approximate amounts or summaries. llegar a + infinitive often implies a difficult process, a surprisingly high amount, or reaching an extreme limit.
Why do we use para instead of por when talking about the animals?
We use para because the animals are the recipients or destination of the food. If you used por, it would technically mean you bought the food on behalf of the seals, as if they asked you to run the errand for them!
Should comida be plural since it is for multiple animals?
No, comida works perfectly here as a singular noun referring to the food supply in general. You only use comidas when referring to specific distinct meals, like breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

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