Car vs transit commute cost calculator

How the calculator counts

It adds up six car costs for an average month (4.33 weeks):

1. Distance: commute km × 2 × days per week × 4.33, plus your other driving.
2. Fuel: distance × litres per 100 km ÷ 100 × price per litre.
3. Maintenance: distance × your cost per km for oil, tires, brakes and repairs.
4. Insurance, parking and car payment: as you enter them.
5. Registration and licence: your yearly cost ÷ 12.

For transit, it takes 2 rides on each commute day and finds the cheapest adult option in your city: pay per ride, fare cap or monthly pass.

The CRA benchmark

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) sets a “reasonable” per-kilometre allowance that employers can pay tax-free for work driving. For 2026 it is $0.73 per km for the first 5,000 km in a year and $0.67 per km after that (4 cents more in the territories). It is designed to cover all the costs of owning and running a car.

The calculator shows this benchmark next to your own total. If your number is much lower, check that you have not left out insurance, the loss in the car’s value, or winter tires.

Worked example

With the default inputs (Toronto, 15 km each way, 5 days a week, 400 km of other driving):

• Distance: 15 × 2 × 5 × 4.33 + 400 = about 1,050 km a month
• Fuel: 1,050 × 8 ÷ 100 × $1.50 = about $126
• Maintenance: 1,050 × $0.10 = about $105
• Insurance $250 + parking $150 + payment $500 + registration $10
• Car: about $1,141 a month. TTC: $143 a month.

The CRA benchmark for about 12,600 km a year is about $729 a month. The example is higher because it includes a new-car payment and paid parking.

Where to find your real numbers

• Fuel price: look at a local station or Statistics Canada’s monthly gasoline price table.
• Fuel use: the EnerGuide label or Natural Resources Canada’s fuel consumption ratings for your model.
• Insurance: get quotes from at least three insurers or a broker. In BC, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, basic insurance comes from the public insurer.
• Car payment: try our car loan calculator or the full cost of ownership calculator.
• Parking: ask your landlord and your employer.

Mixing car and transit

You do not have to choose only one. Many families keep one car and one transit card. Others drive to a park-and-ride lot and take the train. If you will use the car only on weekends, set your commute days to 0, enter just your weekend kilometres as other driving, and choose “Other” with your full monthly transit cost. The car total then shows what the car adds on top of your transit pass.

What to do with the result

If transit is much cheaper, start with transit. You can always buy a car later, once you have a Canadian credit history and a better insurance price. If the car wins, read car vs transit: the real monthly cost to check the costs people often miss.

Common questions

Sources

• CRA: Automobile allowance rates (2026)
• Statistics Canada: Monthly average retail prices for gasoline (table 18-10-0001)
• TTC: Monthly fare capping
• TransLink: Pricing and fare zones
• STM: Monthly, All Modes A
• Calgary Transit: Fares and passes
• Edmonton Transit Service: Fares and passes
• OC Transpo: Fares
• Winnipeg Transit: Fares
• Halifax Transit: Fares, tickets and passes
• MiWay: Fare prices

Checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.