Revealed: What Your Commute Time Is Really Worth In Major Cities

Hatred for the morning commute is one of the few truly universal experiences. But is it the same across different countries? And if not, which places offer the best - and worst - value for workers?

At Moneyzine.com, we want to help our readers make better decisions with their money - especially when they’re choosing where to live. So we’ve taken 25 popular cities across Europe and the USA, and analysed exactly how much the time you spend commuting is worth.

The results show just how big an impact these decisions can have on your finances - and how different life is in different places.

The best and worst cities for public transport

From New York’s famous subway system to the London Underground, public transport looms large in the public imagination. But is it actually a good way to get to work? Our findings suggest it can be - but it really depends where you’re doing it.

The best place to commute via public transport is Vienna. Users of public transport in the Austrian capital can expect to spend an average of 52.38 minutes commuting, and incur an opportunity cost of $3,391 - equating to just 9.33% of their annual salary.

The next least expensive place to use public transport is Glasgow, where commuters’ opportunity cost equates to 10.51% of their salary. Followed by Brussels (10.68%), Prague (11.86%) and the Bulgarian Capital of Sofia (12.7%).

Bucharest's commute time worth a fifth of annual salary

However, there are many cities where public transport is not advisable. The worst is Bucharest, where commuters will spend 2 hours on public transport each day - and could earn 20.33% of their average salary in that time.

American cities take 3 out of the 5 top spots for the worst cities for public transportation commute time - with Chicago being the worst, with an average commute time of just under 2 hours (114 minutes). New York and Los Angeles take up the subsequent spots, each with an average commute time of a whopping 1 hour 44 minutes!

This is followed by Paris, where a public transport commute comes with an opportunity cost equivalent to 19.52% of the average worker’s salary. Followed by Rome (19.01%), Chicago (18.41%) and Manchester (17.54%).

Highest opportunity costs

When we look at the opportunity cost of public transportation across cities, two US cities once again take the top spots for most costly public transportation systems. New Yorkers incurred the largest opportunity cost from using public transport ($15,616 annually) followed by Los Angeles ($14,112) and London ($11,998).

For New Yorkers, this equates to approximately 19% of their annual salary spent on commuting.

The Best Cities To Commute Via Public Transport

The Worst Cities For Public Transport

The best and worst cities for driving to work

A popular alternative to public transport is a daily drive into the workplace. While these workers incur the cost of owning and operating their own vehicle, they may save time and ultimately money - depending on where they do it.

The best place to drive to work is once again Vienna. The average driver spends just 46 mins getting to and from work, incurring an opportunity cost equivalent to 8.23% of their salary in the process. While drivers in Madrid’s opportunity cost equals 9.35% of their average salary on the commute, followed by Sofia (10.37%), Phoenix (10.53%) and Munich (10.84%).

Barcelona offers worst drive-in time and opportunity cost overall

On the flip side, many very popular cities offer drivers a terrible deal. Barcelona’s drivers spend 119 minutes in the car every day - and the opportunity cost of their commute equates to 20.12% of their salary. This is followed by Los Angeles (19.67%), London (19.19%), Milan (18.29%) and Rome (14.99%).

In terms of commute time, Los Angeles stands out as the most traffic-jammed city of all, with an average commute time of just over two hours!

The Best Cities For Driving to Work

The Worst Cities For Driving to Work

“Our analysis finds that driving is the cheapest option in 19 out of 25 cities. However, given the environmental implications, perhaps this should be taken as a call to arms for more car sharing - to ensure workers can both save money and mitigate their carbon emissions.”

Jonathan Merry, CEO of Moneyzine.com

Jonathan Merry

Where can you save the most?

Thus far, we have established a few things: Vienna is a great city for commuters regardless of method, while Bucharest and Barcelona each give a raw deal to specific types of commuters.

But what can readers do with this information - beyond booking tickets for a trip to Vienna as soon as possible?! We have analysed the relative savings you can make switching commute methods in specific cities - and the findings are striking.

For those living in Madrid, driving instead of taking public transport will save you 6.91% of your annual salary. In Paris, drivers will save 6.76%, followed by Bucharest (6.45%), Phoenix (5.98%) and Berlin (5.73%).

However, those living in Milan should make the opposite choice. Using public transport here will save 3.38% of your annual salary. Similarly, those in Barcelona (3.18%), Los Angeles (2.87%), London (2.39%) and Brussels (2.39%) will all save time and money by using public transport.

The Biggest Savings From Driving

The Biggest Savings From Public Transport

Conclusion: how you commute matters

Our data ultimately shows that how you commute really does impact your finances - and that making smarter choices can produce big savings. Berliners could save approximately $3,355. each year simply by switching to public transport - and Los Angeles residents could save nearly $2,485 by simply buying a car.

These findings have deeper implications though. While saving money is important, individuals may also want to consider how they use the time they save - and whether there are different ways of commuting that would be better for their mental and physical health - or even better for the environment.

A quick word on methodology

The data we present here is based on analysing multiple variables. We have used the average hourly wage in each city, along with the average length of each commute method. This allows us to establish approximately how much the time you spend commuting is worth; reported here as the ‘opportunity cost’ per city

Opportunity cost, in essence, refers to what you give up when you choose one option instead of another. When considering commuting time versus your annual salary, the opportunity cost is the value or benefits you could have gained from using that time differently. By spending time on your commute, you miss out on opportunities for personal enjoyment, quality time with loved ones, or even additional work. It's important to weigh the trade-off between commuting and the potential value you could have derived from that time.

Our calculations assume an average of 200 days worked annually, and individuals’ annual salaries will of course vary - meaning these figures provide an average estimate of costs. However, the relative findings - which cities are best and worst to commute in - are clear.

The Best & Worst Cities To Commute Via Public Transport

The Best & Worst Cities To Commute By Car

The Best & Worst Cities To Commute: Opportunity Cost Compared