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Commute Cost Calculator

A commute is a repeating expense, which makes it one of the few household costs that can be forecast accurately. Distance, frequency and three unit costs are enough to turn it into an annual figure.

One way distanceMiles from home to work. The return leg is added automatically.Commuting days per weekDays actually travelled to the workplace.Commuting weeks per yearNet of annual leave, sick days and public holidays. 48 is a realistic default.Fuel economyMiles per gallon on this route. Real figures beat the test cycle number.Fuel price per gallonPrice at the pump.Parking per dayDaily charge at the destination. Enter 0 if parking is free.Tolls per dayTotal tolls for the round trip.

Total annual commute cost

$3,344.57

Annual commuting miles: 8,640
Annual fuel cost: $1,064.57
Cost per commuting day: $13.94
Cost per mile: 0.3871

Values update as you type. This calculator covers the single scenario its formula assumes — see Common Mistakes for what it leaves out.

The formula this calculator uses

Annual cost = fuel + parking + tolls

C: Total annual cost of the commute
D: Total miles driven commuting in a year
e: Fuel economy in miles per gallon

How to check the result by hand

1
Get the one way distance and double it
Use the route actually driven rather than a straight line, and remember the return leg. Eighteen miles each way is 36 miles a day.
2
Count the commuting days realistically
Days per week times weeks per year. Forty eight weeks is a sensible default once leave, sick days and public holidays are taken out; using 52 overstates the year noticeably.
3
Use real fuel economy, not the sticker
The combined cycle figure flatters short, cold, stop start trips. If you have receipts, divide miles by gallons actually bought. Otherwise knock a few miles per gallon off the official figure.
4
Add the daily charges
Parking and tolls are flat amounts per commuting day, so multiply each by the day count. This is the step most people skip, and it is frequently larger than the fuel.
5
Convert to cost per day and per mile
Divide the annual total by commuting days for a figure you can compare against a transit fare, and by annual miles for one you can compare against a reimbursement rate.

For worked examples, common mistakes and the limits of this formula, read the full How To Calculate Commute Cost page.