system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How does Internet/bandwidth "cost" an ISP money?

I love analogies... So please use those! I understand when you stop at a gas station and fill your tank, you are taking their resources. But what 'resources' are you taking from an ISP? Aren't they basically the messenger?
gpt
You are paying for:

* The cost of building and maintaining all the wires in your area
* The cost of running and maintaining the servers that process and pass along your messages tot eh right places
* Smaller ISPs "rent" their wires and infrastructure from larger ISPs, who in turn "rent" it from even larger ISPs and organizations. This also costs money.
* The cost of improving everything in the system, and expanding internet access to new areas.
* Paying salaries and profit for the ISP.