EconSim

Monopoly vs. Perfect Competition

See how a monopolist restricts output and raises price — and the deadweight loss that market power creates.

See how a monopolist restricts output and raises price, and why that creates deadweight loss.

  • Marginal revenue vs. marginal cost
  • Market power
  • Deadweight loss
  • Consumer & producer surplus

Guided walkthrough

Step 1 of 3
Predict first

Switch the market structure from Perfect competition to Monopoly.

Before you act, predict what will happen. What happens to the quantity produced and the price charged? Then do it — did your prediction match what happened?

Market structure

Price, output, and deadweight loss

A monopolist sets marginal revenue equal to marginal cost — producing less and charging more than perfect competition (price = marginal cost). The shaded triangle is the lost surplus.

Price60
Quantity40
Deadweight loss800