Last updated: 2026-06-30

What a Commute Really Costs

The pump price feels like the whole story, but a commute is the same drive repeated hundreds of times a year. Small daily numbers compound: a few dollars of fuel, a parking fee, the odd toll — multiplied by twenty-some days a month and twelve months a year.

A 20 km each-way drive at 12 km/L burns about 3.3 L of fuel a day. At 1.50 per litre that is roughly 5.00 a day — and over 21 working days, about 105 a month before parking or tolls.

A 12 mile each-way drive at 28 MPG burns about 0.86 gal of fuel a day. At 5.70 per gallon that is roughly 4.90 a day — and over 21 working days, about 105 a month before parking or tolls.

Seeing the monthly and yearly figure is what makes the trade-offs real: whether to move closer, switch to transit, carpool, or negotiate a remote day.

The Formula

Start with the round-trip fuel, add the fixed daily charges, then scale up:

Worked Example

• One-way distance: 25 km (50 km round trip)
• Fuel economy: 10 km/L
• Fuel price: 2.00 per litre
• Parking: 5.00/day, Tolls: 3.00/day
• Commute days: 20/month

What's In and What's Out

This calculator counts the costs that rise and fall with how much you drive: fuel, parking, and tolls. It leaves out the fixed costs of owning the car — insurance, depreciation, maintenance, tyres, and financing — which you pay whether you commute or not. Those are large: government cost-per-mile figures often put total running costs at roughly double the fuel alone. If you are comparing driving against transit or a move, add an allowance for them.

Cutting the Number Down

• Drive fewer days. A single remote day a week removes about 20 % of every component at once.
• Carpool. Splitting fuel, parking, and tolls two ways nearly halves the variable cost.
• Compare alternatives with the yearly total. Put the annual figure next to a transit pass, an e-bike, or the rent difference of living closer — the right choice is usually obvious once it is annualised.