Commute Cost Calculator
How it works
Fuel cost per day comes from the round-trip distance (one-way distance doubled) divided by fuel economy, times the fuel price. Parking, if any, adds on top as a flat daily amount. That daily figure is multiplied by days per week for a weekly cost, then by weeks per year for an annual one — the same annualization used for the optional transit comparison, so the two totals line up.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as "commute cost" here?
Fuel and parking — the two costs that scale directly with a specific commute. Vehicle depreciation, maintenance and insurance are real costs of owning a car, but they are hard to attribute to one commute versus any other driving you do, so this tool leaves them out rather than guess at a share.
How is the transit comparison calculated?
The same way as the driving side: a round-trip cost, times days per week, times weeks per year. Using the same annualization on both sides is what makes the two totals directly comparable, rather than comparing a daily transit fare to a yearly driving figure.
Why does weeks per year default to 48?
It accounts for vacation, holidays and the odd day worked from home, rather than assuming a commute happens every single week of the year. Adjust it if your schedule is different.