Commute Cost Calculator
What your drive to work really costs per month and per year in gas and parking.
How it works
yearly miles = round trip × days/week × 52 · yearly cost = miles ÷ MPG × gas price + parking × 12
The round trip times your commuting days gives yearly mileage; dividing by MPG converts it to gallons, and the pump price plus parking turns it into money. Working from 52 weeks avoids the "4 weeks per month" error that understates the year by about 8%.
Worked example
A 30-mile round trip five days a week is 7,800 miles a year. At 28 MPG and $3.50 per gallon that’s 279 gallons — $975 a year, or about $81.25 a month with no paid parking.
Frequently asked questions
What does working from home one day a week save?
Each remote day per week cuts the driving cost by roughly 20% (one-fifth of a five-day pattern) — about $195 a year in the example above, before parking.
Why count more than gas?
Every mile also consumes tires, oil, brake pads and resale value. The IRS 70¢/mile rate (2025) approximates the total, which is typically 4–6× the gas-only cost — the real number to compare against transit passes.
How does this compare with transit?
Compare the yearly figure (ideally at the all-in per-mile rate) against 12 monthly passes, and weigh the non-money factors: transit time you can read or work, versus driving time you can’t.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.