Commute Cost Calculator
Weekly and yearly drive to work cost with fuel and CO2.
What it does
Commuting cost is the round trip doubled across the work week and year. Daily miles divided by economy give gallons, the pump price converts them to dollars, and days times weeks scale to the annual budget.
The tool above runs imperial and metric side by side. Enter one way distance, economy, price, weekly days, and yearly weeks; it returns weekly and yearly fuel cost with yearly CO2 beside them.
The default 15 mile one way trip at 25 mpg with $3.50 gas burns 1.2 gallons a day for $4.20: $21.00 a week and $1,008.00 over 48 weeks with 2.56 tonnes of CO2. The metric mirror of 24.1 km reads $20.86 a week with the same 2.56 tonnes.
Economy figures come from EPA ratings on fueleconomy.gov with CO2 at 8.89 kg per gallon of gasoline. Traffic, cold starts, and detours move real use above the plan line.
How to use
- Pick imperial or metric to match your dashboard.
- Enter the one way distance, not the round trip.
- Enter your real economy and local fuel price.
- Enter commute days per week and working weeks per year.
- Read weekly first, then yearly cost and CO2.
Formula
- 2x
- Out plus back every commute day.
- 8.89
- CO2 kilos per gallon of gasoline burned.
- 48
- Example working weeks after time off.
Zero price is allowed and prices only fuel, returning consumption with zero cost. Hybrid weeks with home days enter fewer days rather than averaging.
Worked example
Example: 15 miles each way, 25 mpg, $3.50
Imperial defaults: 15 mi one way, 25 mpg, $3.50, 5 days, 48 weeks.
- Daily miles: 2 x 15 = 30 mi.
- Gallons: 30 / 25 = 1.2 gal a day.
- Daily cost: 1.2 x 3.50 = $4.20.
- Weekly: 4.20 x 5 = $21.00. Yearly: 21 x 48 = $1,008.00.
- CO2: 1.2 x 240 days = 288 gal x 8.89 kg = 2.56 t. Tool shows $21.00, $1,008.00, 2.56 t.
Reference table
| Economy | Weekly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 20 mpg | $26.25 | $1,260.00 |
| 25 mpg | $21.00 | $1,008.00 |
| 40 mpg | $13.13 | $630.00 |
Limits
- Fuel only. Tolls, parking, insurance, and wear excluded.
- Steady economy assumed; jams and winter drink more.
- One price all year; fuel markets move.
- Remote days must lower the day count by hand.
Common mistakes
- Entering the round trip as one way, doubling everything.
- Using sticker mpg for jammed city routes.
- Counting 52 weeks without subtracting time off.
- Forgetting the return leg entirely.
- Pricing premium for a regular grade car.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
10 miles each way, 30 mpg, $4, 5 d, 50 wk?
0.667 gal a day: $13.33 a week, $666.67 a year.
CO2 for the example?
288 gal x 8.89 kg = 2,560 kg = 2.56 t.
4 day weeks instead of 5?
Weekly drops a fifth: $21.00 to $16.80.
Questions
How do you calculate commute cost?
Round trip miles over mpg times price, times days, times weeks: 30/25 x 3.50 x 5 x 48 = $1,008.
One way or round trip?
Enter one way here; the page doubles it. Entering the round trip doubles the truth.
Where does CO2 come from?
Gallons burned times 8.89 kg per gallon of gasoline, the EPA factor.
What is missing?
Tolls, parking, maintenance, tires, depreciation, and your time.
How do EVs fit?
Use the EV charging page for electricity cost, then add it beside this fuel math.
Does working from home help?
Directly: each home day removes a fifth of a 5 day fuel week.