Home A
Home A
$3,727/ month
- Housing
- $2,500
- Commute cost
- $447
- Value of commute time
- $780
- Commute time
- 31.2 hr/mo
Housing vs. commute calculator
Which place is actually cheaper once the commute is part of the picture?
Compare two places side by side and see how housing cost, commuting expenses, and travel time change what each option really costs you.
Runs in your browserNo account requiredDrive or transit
ExampleSame job or destination
Place farther awayCheaper housing
Longer commuteMore time traveling
Place closer to workHigher housing cost
Shorter commuteMore time back
Work
Money saved on housingCost of the commute
How it works
Home A and Home B are just the two places you are choosing between.
Enter the cost of each home
Add the commute from each one
See the money and time difference
Free comparison tool
Compare the two places you are deciding between.
Home A and Home B are simply your two choices. They can be two apartments, homes or neighborhoods. Rename them however you like and replace the example numbers with your own. You never need to enter an exact address.
Home ADriving commute
Fine-tune commute costs
Use these if you want a more detailed estimate for fuel, wear, tolls or parking.
Home BDriving commute
Fine-tune commute costs
Use these if you want a more detailed estimate for fuel, wear, tolls or parking.
Optional time value
How much should commute time count in your comparison?
Give an hour of your personal time a dollar value if you want time to affect the result. Set this to $0 if you only want to compare housing and out-of-pocket commute costs.
Show effective hourly pay
Salary is only used for the optional effective-hourly-pay number in the comparison below. It does not change the main monthly-cost result.
Your comparison
Home B is the lower-cost choice in this comparison.
Based on the numbers above, it comes out about $111 lower per month after housing, commute costs and the value you placed on commute time.
Difference per month$111
About per year$1,330
Commute time difference250 hr/yr
Home BLower calculated cost
Home B
$3,617/ month
- Housing
- $3,250
- Commute cost
- $107
- Value of commute time
- $260
- Commute time
- 10.4 hr/mo
The shorter bar represents the lower calculated monthly cost.
Where the money goes
What is making the difference?
Housing and commute expenses are money you pay. The time value is different: it is the value you chose to place on time spent commuting, not an extra bill.
Monthly comparisonHome AHome B
Housing$2,500/mo$3,250/mo
Commute cost$447/mo$107/mo
Commute time31.2 hr/mo10.4 hr/mo
Value of commute time$780/mo$260/mo
Total used for comparison$3,727$3,617
Effective hourly pay$32/hr$38/hr
A few useful takeaways
Three numbers that help explain the tradeoff.
Roughly how much more the lower-commute home could cost each month before its commute advantage is used up, based on your assumptions.
That is about 31.2 eight-hour days of time over a year.
The monthly housing gap before any commute costs or commute time are added.
This is an educational estimate, not financial advice. Traffic, fares, fuel prices, vehicle costs and schedules can change, so double-check the numbers that matter before making a major decision.
Want help making sense of the tradeoff?
See what the personalized decision report will add beyond the free calculator.
Preview the decision reportOne-time founding offer. Checkout is not open yet.
Why the commute changes the answer
Cheaper rent can stop looking cheap once the commute is added.
A lower-priced place may save money on housing but add fuel, fares, parking, tolls, vehicle wear, and hours of travel every month. DwellOrDrive puts those tradeoffs next to each other so you can see what you are actually gaining—and what you are giving up.
Frequently asked
A few things to know before you compare.
What does DwellOrDrive compare?
It adds up what each place costs you each month: housing, your driving or transit expenses, and—if you choose—the value of the time you spend commuting.
What are Home A and Home B?
They are simply the two places you are deciding between. They can be apartments, homes, neighborhoods, or any two housing options. You can rename them, and you never need to enter an exact address.
Does DwellOrDrive track my address or location?
No. You enter the travel time and costs yourself. The free calculator runs in your browser, does not save your entries, and does not require an account.
Can one home use transit and the other use driving?
Yes. Home A and Home B can use different commute modes, so you can compare the way you would actually travel from each place.
Is the result financial advice?
No. It is a planning estimate. Double-check important rents, fares, tolls, vehicle costs, and schedules before making a major decision.