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Is It Worth Renting?
Lifestyle Tools

Rent vs. Commute

Is that cheaper apartment in the suburbs actually cheaper? Let's factor in the value of your time.

Used to calculate the value of your lost time.

$

Option A: City Living

$
Time30m
$

Option B: Suburbs

$
Time90m
$

Better to Live in the City

Paying higher rent saves you money when you factor in your time. You save $100/mo in "life cost".

City "Real Cost"$2900/mo

Hours spent commuting/mo

10.0 hrs

Suburb "Real Cost"$3000/mo

Hours spent commuting/mo

30.0 hrs

Why value time? We calculate your "Time Value" based on your hourly wage ($30/hr). Sitting in traffic isn't free—it costs you leisure, sleep, or work time.

The True Cost of Commuting

It's tempting to move 45 minutes away to save $500 on rent. But when you add up the hidden costs, you might actually be losing money.

1. Direct Costs (Cash)

Gas, insurance, maintenance, tolls, or train tickets. The IRS estimates the cost of driving at roughly 67 cents per mile (2024). A 30-mile commute costs ~$40/day.

2. Opportunity Cost (Time)

This is what most people ignore. If you spend 2 hours a day in a car, that's 10 hours a week—an entire extra work day! If you value your time at $30/hr, that's $1,200 of lost time every month.

3. Health & Happiness

Studies consistently show that long commutes are linked to higher stress, obesity, and divorce rates. Living closer to work often buys you something money can't: sanity.