Membership cost is a term used to describe the amount of money that an individual or organization must pay in order to join a club, organization, or other group. The two most common words used to describe this cost are 'dues' and 'FEE'. Dues is a four letter word that refers to the regular payments made by members of an organization or club in order to maintain their membership. A FEE is a three letter word that refers to a one-time payment made by an individual or organization in order to join a club, organization, or other group.