Cost in Work Hours Calculator
See how many hours and workdays you must work to pay for something, using your take-home hourly pay from a wage or salary, plus the yearly work hours a weekly or monthly expense really costs you.
How it works
gross hourly pay = wage, or salary ÷ (52 × weekly hours) · take-home hourly pay = gross × take-home % · hours needed = price ÷ take-home hourly pay · workdays = hours ÷ hours per day · recurring: yearly hours = hours × 52, 12 or 1
Prices feel different when you measure them in the time it takes to earn them. Because purchases are paid from take-home pay, the honest rate is your hourly pay after tax and deductions, not the gross figure on your contract. A recurring cost — a subscription, a car payment, a daily coffee — adds up to a slice of your working year, which the calculator shows as hours and as a percentage of the hours you work.
Worked example
You earn $25.00 an hour and take home 75% of it, or $18.75/h. A $1,200 laptop costs $1,200 ÷ $18.75 = 64.0 h of work — 8.0 workdays of 8 hours. If it were a $1,200 monthly rent instead, it would take 768.0 h a year, 36.9% of a 40-hour working year.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours do I have to work to afford something?
Divide the price by your take-home pay per hour. At $18.75/h after tax, a $1,200 item takes 64 hours of work.
Why use take-home pay instead of gross pay?
You pay for things with money left after tax and deductions. Using gross pay makes purchases look cheaper in time than they really are.
How do I find my take-home share?
Divide your net paycheck by your gross paycheck. Many people keep 65–85% depending on tax and deductions.
Should commuting count as work time?
For a stricter "real hourly wage", add commute and other unpaid work time to your weekly hours; your hourly pay falls and items cost more hours.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.