Calculator

Commute Cost Calculator

Estimate what your commute really costs each day, month and year, and compare driving with public transport before you decide where to live.

How driving cost is worked out

Fuel use is estimated from your car's MPG: litres = miles ÷ MPG × 4.54609, then multiplied by your fuel price. We double it for the return journey, add any parking, then scale by your commuting days and working weeks per year. Defaults are editable estimates, not official figures.

How we calculate this

We turn your one-way mileage and MPG into litres of fuel usinglitres = miles ÷ MPG × 4.54609(one Imperial gallon = 4.54609 litres). That gives a one-way fuel cost, which we double for the return journey and scale by your commuting days and working weeks.

Parking is added per commuting day. Public transport, if entered, is compared on the same days × weeks basis. We do not include insurance, servicing, tyres or depreciation — the true cost of motoring is higher than the fuel-and-parking baseline shown.

Why commute cost matters when moving house

A home further from work often comes with a lower price, but the saving can be quietly eaten up by the cost of getting to and from work. Fuel, parking and train fares add up every single working day, and over a year they can run into thousands of pounds. Knowing the real commuting cost of an area helps you compare homes on a fair basis, rather than on the asking price alone.

Hidden costs of commuting

The cost on this page focuses on fuel and parking, but a longer commute carries other costs worth keeping in mind:

Time. An extra 20 minutes each way is over 150 hours a year — time you could spend with family or at home.
Wear and depreciation. More miles mean more servicing, tyres and faster depreciation on your car.
Energy and wellbeing. A long daily journey can be tiring, which is harder to price but easy to feel.

Example calculation

Imagine a 15-mile drive each way, five days a week, in a car doing 45 MPG, with fuel at £1.45 a litre and no parking. That is about 1.5 litres a day each way, so roughly £4.40 a day, around £20 a week, and close to £1,000 a year over 46 working weeks. Add £6 a day parking and the annual figure jumps by well over £1,300.

Once you know your commute cost, feed it into the Area Comparison Tool to weigh it against price and school distance, or see our guide on how commute costs affect your real housing budget.

Frequently asked questions

How is the fuel cost calculated?

We convert your miles into gallons using your car's MPG, turn gallons into litres (1 gallon = 4.54609 litres), and multiply by your fuel price per litre. That gives a one-way fuel cost, which we double for the return trip and scale by your commuting days and working weeks.

Why is the default 46 working weeks, not 52?

Most people don't commute every week of the year once you allow for annual leave, bank holidays and the odd week working from home. 46 weeks is a reasonable default, but you can change it to match your own pattern.

Does this include wear and tear, insurance or depreciation?

No. The driving estimate covers fuel and parking only. Running a car also involves insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation, which can add a great deal over a year. Treat the figure as a fuel-and-parking baseline, not the full cost of motoring.

How accurate is the public transport comparison?

It is only as accurate as the daily fare you enter. Season tickets, railcards and off-peak travel can change the real cost significantly, so check current fares before relying on the comparison.