The two costs of a commute
A commute costs money, through fuel, wear and tear, parking, tolls or fares, and it costs time. Fuel and maintenance alone usually run somewhere around 20 to 40 cents a mile for a typical car, while the IRS standard mileage rate, which also includes depreciation and insurance, is higher. A 30-mile round trip five days a week at 35 cents a mile plus $6 parking comes to about $4,000 a year, plus 240 hours in the car.
Putting a value on the time, even a modest one, often shows the commute is one of the biggest costs of a job. That is useful when comparing offers or negotiating remote days.
Putting the yearly total in perspective
With the example inputs, a 30-mile round trip at 35 cents a mile plus $6 a day for parking, five days a week for 48 weeks, costs about $3,960 a year in money. The hour a day adds up to about 240 hours a year, the same as six full 40-hour work weeks spent travelling. Valued at $25 an hour, that time is worth about $6,000 more.
Those numbers are useful when weighing a job offer, a move or a request to work from home. A job that pays $5,000 more but adds an hour of daily commuting may leave you worse off once the cost and time are counted. The real hourly wage calculator shows how commuting changes what each hour of work really pays.
Common questions
How many hours a year do I spend commuting?
An hour a day, five days a week for 48 weeks, is about 240 hours a year, roughly six 40-hour work weeks.
How much does commuting cost per year?
For a 30-mile daily round trip, often $2,500 to $5,000 depending on fuel, wear and parking.
What cost per mile should I use?
Fuel plus maintenance is commonly 20 to 40 cents. Use the IRS standard mileage rate if you want to include depreciation and insurance.
This calculator gives estimates for planning. Real returns, rates and prices change, so treat the result as a guide rather than a promise. Read how we build and check our calculators.