Calculator
Remote Work Savings Calculator
Fuel, train fares, lunches, coffee, car wear and tear — commuting costs add up. See how much money and time you save by working from home.
Your commute
HMRC's tax-free mileage allowance is 45p/mi (covers fuel + wear). 10p/mi is a fair estimate of pure wear after fuel.
Daily extras
Bought lunch + coffee minus what you'd spend at home.
Childcare, dry cleaning, work clothes, etc.
Calculations happen entirely in your browser. Nothing is saved.
Where the savings come from
Annual figures assume 48 working weeks (4 weeks of holiday). "If invested" assumes you redirect monthly savings into an investment compounding monthly at 7% — a typical long-run stock-market average.
How the remote work savings calculator works
Working from home has two kinds of value: the hard cash you stop spending (fuel, train fares, lunches), and the time you stop losing to the commute itself. Both are real, but the time saving is often bigger and almost always overlooked. This calculator adds them up at daily, monthly and annual scale.
What's counted
- Travel cost — for drivers, miles × cost-per-mile (fuel + wear + insurance share). For transit, daily fare.
- Food & drink — lunches and coffees bought because you're out of the house.
- Commute time — hours saved each day × your hourly rate, for an opportunity-cost view.
- Annualised — savings × commuting days/week × 48 weeks (allowing for holidays).
Worked example
Scenario: 30-mile round-trip commute, 5 days/week, £8 lunch, £4 coffee, £25/hr salary, 1.5 hours daily commute.
Per day: Driving 30 mi × £0.45 = £13.50 + £12 food = £25.50 cash. Plus 1.5 hrs × £25 = £37.50 of time.
Per week (5 days): £127.50 cash + £187.50 time = £315
Per year (48 weeks): ~£6,120 cash + ~£9,000 time = ~£15,120 total value
Frequently asked questions
How much do people typically save working from home?
UK and US studies have repeatedly put the figure at £150-£500 per month, depending mostly on commute distance and whether you drive or use rail. The biggest line items are fuel/transit fares, lunches and coffee bought near the office, and car wear and tear.
How is the time saving valued?
We multiply your daily commute hours by the number of days you'd otherwise commute, then by your hourly rate. This is an opportunity-cost view — what your time is worth — not a literal cash saving. Some people use a fraction of their hourly rate to reflect that commute time isn't fully equivalent to billable time.
Should I include car depreciation?
Yes, if it's a meaningful chunk of your driving. UK and US estimates put per-mile running costs (fuel + wear + maintenance + insurance) at roughly 35-50p / 50-70¢. The 'cost per mile' input bundles all of that, so set it generously rather than fuel-only.
What about home electricity and heating?
Working from home does push utility bills up — typically £30-£60 per month in winter — and we'd recommend deducting an estimate from your gross savings. Many people still come out far ahead, but the offset matters in cold months.
Is hybrid (2-3 days WFH) still worth it?
Usually yes. Even halving your commute days roughly halves the cost and time, so the savings scale linearly. Set days/week to 2 or 3 in the calculator to see the hybrid figure.
Can I claim tax relief for working from home?
In the UK, employees required to work from home can claim tax relief on a flat-rate £6/week (or actual costs with receipts). In the US, employees generally can't deduct WFH expenses since the 2017 tax law change, though self-employed workers still can. Check current HMRC / IRS guidance.