[cjbprime]

Obviously it depends on the GDP of the city -- in this case, perhaps we could ballpark $100M.

I'm not sure this adequately captures it, though; the bombers are said to have talked in front of their carjacking victim about planning to escape to NYC. Shouldn't we include some expected value term of the cost of shutting down NYC, in case they moved there and had to be hunted there too? Seems like the entire country/world has an interest in seeing them caught here.

[cdash]

Yea I think you would have to include that, its obviously a very complex situation and next to impossible because it requires a lot of uncertainties if you were to try to base a decision purely on monetary value of a life.