What goes into the daily cost
The daily figure doubles your one-way distance, divides by efficiency to get fuel, multiplies by the pump price, then adds any parking and tolls you pay per day. That total rolls up to the week (× your commute days), the month (× 4.33, the average weeks in a month), and the year (× 52). Mixed units are fine — the calculator converts kilometers, L/100km, and per-liter prices internally so a metric car and a US pump still produce one honest number.
The hours column matters too
Enter your real door-to-door average speed, stops and traffic included, and the calculator shows the hours a year your commute takes — a 40-mile round trip at 30 mph is nearly 350 hours a year, six full waking weeks behind the wheel. Seeing cost and time together makes the trade-offs concrete: one carpool day a week cuts both by 20%, and transit or remote days reclaim hours that no fuel discount can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why 4.33 weeks per month?
A year has 52 weeks but 12 months, so the fair monthly figure is 52 ÷ 12 ≈ 4.33. Multiplying a weekly cost by a flat 4 overstates nothing and understates the year — this keeps the three rows consistent.
Does this include depreciation and maintenance?
No — those vary too much by vehicle to assume. A practical add-on is 5–10 cents per mile for wear, tires, and servicing; at 10,000 commute miles a year that is another $500–1,000 on top of the fuel total.
What speed should I enter?
Your true average across the whole drive, gate to gate. Crawling through town at an effective 20 mph is common; the highway speed limit is the wrong number unless your drive really is all open road.