Public Transport vs Car Calculator - Monthly Cost Comparison

    Monthly bus pass or a car payment, insurance and parking? Compare the full cost of public transport against car ownership on the same commute. Savings, cost per trip and CO2 side by side.

    Parameters

    Enter data for calculations

    Unlimited monthly pass for all lines.

    One-way commute distance.

    Actual days commuting per month.

    Average city consumption.

    Price per liter at your local station.

    Monthly parking cost at work.

    Car insurance cost per month.

    Total annual service and maintenance.

    Ride-hailing, taxi, scooter when transit unavailable.

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    Same commute, two price tags - transit pass versus car ownership

    A monthly transit pass in a major US city runs $75-132. Driving the same route costs $300-600 per month in fuel alone. Add parking, insurance and service and the car bill climbs to 5-10 times the transit pass. The trade-off is flexibility - a bus will not take you grocery shopping at 11 PM. This calculator puts both options side by side with real numbers.

    Before and after - switching from car to transit

    Before (car)
    $487/month
    Fuel: $156 (15 km each way, 8 L/100 km, $1.50/L)
    Parking: $120
    Insurance: $130
    Service: $81 ($970/year)
    After (transit)
    $125/month
    Monthly pass: $75
    Occasional Uber/Lyft: $50
    Parking: $0
    Insurance: $0
    Annual savings
    $4,344
    74% less than driving

    How to compare transit vs car - step by step

    1. Monthly transit pass ($) - price of an unlimited monthly pass. NYC: $132, Chicago: $75, DC: $100, LA: $100, London: $190, Berlin: $55.
    2. One-way distance (km) - home to work. The calculator doubles it for the round trip to compute car fuel cost.
    3. Commute days per month - actual days you commute. Standard: 20-22, minus vacation and work-from-home days.
    4. Fuel consumption (L/100 km) - city driving figure. Compact gasoline: 7-10 L, diesel: 5-7 L, SUV: 10-14 L.
    5. Fuel price ($/L) - current price at your station. US: $0.95-1.10/L, Europe: $1.40-2.00/L.
    6. Monthly parking ($) - garage or lot fee near work. $0 if free, $150-400 downtown.
    7. Insurance per month ($) - annual premium divided by 12. US average: $120-180/month.
    8. Annual car service ($) - oil, filters, tires, brakes, repairs. $500-3,000/year.
    9. Extra transit costs ($) - occasional Uber, Lyft, taxi when the bus does not run. Typically $30-100/month.
    10. Read the results - monthly and annual comparison, savings, cost per trip, commute time and CO2.

    Monthly transit pass prices - major cities

    City Monthly pass System
    New York $132 MTA MetroCard
    Chicago $75 CTA
    Washington DC $100 WMATA
    San Francisco $98 Muni
    London $190 TfL Zone 1-3
    Berlin $55 BVG AB

    Five scenarios - when transit wins and when the car wins

    City center, 8 km commute: Transit pass $75, car $420/month. Savings: $4,140/year. Transit is 20 min faster (no parking search). Clear transit win.
    Suburban, 25 km commute: Transit pass $100 + $60 Uber, car $580/month. Savings: $5,040/year. Car is 30 min faster. Transit saves money, car saves time.
    Rural, 40 km commute: No transit option. Car is the only practical choice at $650/month. Carpooling can cut this to $325.
    Student, 5 km commute: Discounted pass $40, car $310/month. Savings: $3,240/year. That covers textbooks and meals for a semester.
    Two-car family, second car for commute: Dropping the second car saves $350-600/month in ownership alone - before fuel. One car + transit passes for both partners: $250/month total.

    FAQ - Frequently asked questions

    Does the calculator include car depreciation?
    No. Depreciation adds another $2,000-8,000 per year depending on the car, which tilts the comparison even further toward transit. The calculator covers operating costs only.
    What about suburban rail commutes?
    Add the commuter rail pass to the transit cost field. A combined bus + rail pass typically runs $120-250/month. Still cheaper than driving and parking downtown.
    Is transit really faster for short distances?
    Under 8 km, transit and car take roughly the same time when you factor in parking. A bus or subway takes 25-35 min door to door. Driving takes 15-25 min plus 5-15 min finding parking and walking from the lot.
    Is it worth keeping a car "just in case"?
    A parked car still costs $200-400/month in insurance, registration and depreciation. That buys 8-16 Uber rides. Unless you need a car more than twice a week outside transit hours, the math does not work.
    How does this compare to biking?
    Biking costs $15-30/month in maintenance. For distances under 10 km, a bike is cheaper than both transit and car. Check the Bike vs Car Calculator for the full comparison.
    Can I combine transit with carpooling?
    Yes - many commuters drive to a park-and-ride lot and take the bus or train for the last stretch. The Carpooling Cost Calculator can help you split the driving portion.

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