How to Use the Commute Time Waste Calculator
Enter your one-way commute time, how many days per year you commute, and optionally your annual salary. You'll see your total annual commuting hours, how many full days that equals, and if you enter a salary, the opportunity cost in dollars.
Formula
- Annual hours = one-way minutes × 2 × work days ÷ 60
- Opportunity cost = annual salary ÷ 2,080 × annual commute hours
- Default 250 work days = 5 days/week × 50 weeks
What You Can Do About It
Even partial remote work makes a big difference. Working from home 2 days a week cuts annual commute by 40%. Moving closer to the office can dramatically reduce the time and cost, often making a higher-rent location economically worthwhile.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's the dollar value of commuting time, based on your hourly rate (salary ÷ 2,080 hours). It shows what that time could be worth if used productively — not actual lost income.
250 is typical for a 5-day week after holidays. Enter your actual number of commuting days for a more precise result — exclude vacation days, holidays, and remote days.
Yes — include total door-to-door time one way, including walking, waiting for transit, and any transfers.