The IRS standard mileage rate (67 cents per mile in 2024) is the gold-standard benchmark — it bundles gas, oil, tires, maintenance, depreciation, insurance, and registration into one number. But it does not include the time you spend driving, and time is the bigger cost for most commuters.
The formula
Annual commute cost = (Annual miles × $0.67) + (Annual hours × your hourly value) + Extra costs
The IRS rate already includes fuel, so we display your fuel cost separately for context but do not add it to the total (to avoid double-counting). The final number is the IRS vehicle cost plus parking, tolls, and the dollar value of your time.
What this calculator cannot capture
It cannot price the health cost of sitting (linked to cardiovascular disease, back pain, and depression), the stress cost of traffic, or the relationship cost of arriving home tired. Studies suggest commuters with 45+ minute one-way commutes are 40% more likely to divorce. The dollar number above is the floor of what your commute costs you — not the ceiling.