Commute cost calculator
What does getting to work really cost you each year? Add fuel or fares, parking and wear on the car, then price the hours you spend in transit at your own pay rate.
Your commute
What a shorter commute is worth
Every 10 minutes cut from your round trip gives back 40 hours a year. An offer with a 60-minute round trip needs to pay about $6,464 more to be as good as a fully remote job at the same salary, on these assumptions.
| Fuel | $768 |
| Wear & maintenance | $792 |
| Parking & tolls | $0 |
| Time at 50% of $40.87/h | $4,904 |
Why price your time?
The US Census Bureau's American Community Survey puts the average one-way commute at about 27 minutes, close to 225 hours a year for a five-day worker. Those hours are unpaid. Transport economists usually value commuting time at around half of the traveller's wage (the US Department of Transportation's guidance for personal travel uses 50%), which is the default here.
Car costs are more than fuel. AAA's Your Driving Costs study adds maintenance, tyres and depreciation; this calculator includes maintenance and wear per mile but leaves out depreciation and insurance, which you'd pay whether or not you commute. For business mileage, the IRS standard rate is a useful all-in upper bound.
Weighing a hybrid or in-office offer against a remote one? Enter the commute for each in the job offer comparison; it scores the time and money automatically. Moving closer instead? The cost of living calculator shows what that does to your budget.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate my commute cost?
Multiply round-trip miles by commuting days, divide by your car's miles per gallon and multiply by the fuel price. Add maintenance per mile, parking and tolls, or your transit passes. Then decide whether to add the value of your time.
How much does a commute cost per year?
A 30-mile round trip, 5 days a week for 48 weeks at 30 mpg and $3.20 a gallon costs about $770 in fuel, plus roughly $800 in wear at $0.11 a mile, before parking and before counting your time.
Should I include my time in commute cost?
When comparing jobs, yes. Two hours a day of commuting is roughly 480 hours a year, about 12 working weeks. Valuing it at half your hourly pay is a common, conservative convention.
Can I deduct commuting costs on my taxes?
No. The IRS treats travel between home and your regular workplace as a personal expense. Some employers offer pre-tax transit and parking benefits under Section 132(f), which lowers the cost.
Is a remote job worth a lower salary?
Often. If your commute costs $6,000 a year in cash and 250 hours of time, a remote job paying several thousand dollars less can leave you better off.