How much does it cost to commute in Austin?

It depends on distance and mode. A CapMetro pass runs about $40 a month, while driving adds gas, parking near $130/month downtown, and vehicle wear. The tool computes both so you can see your real monthly and annual cost.

Should I use fuel-only or the IRS per-mile rate?

Fuel-only counts just gas and understates the true cost. The IRS standard mileage rate (around $0.67/mile) bundles fuel, maintenance, tires, insurance and depreciation, so it reflects the full cost of driving. Use IRS mode for an honest comparison against transit.

Is CapMetro cheaper than driving in Austin?

Often yes, especially with downtown parking and the full per-mile driving cost. The pass is a flat ~$40 regardless of distance, while driving scales with miles and adds parking. The tool flags the cheaper option for your specific route.

How is the driving cost calculated?

In fuel-only mode it uses round-trip miles divided by MPG times gas price, plus parking. In IRS mode it multiplies round-trip miles by the per-mile rate, plus parking. Both are then scaled by your commute days per month.

Does this include time or stress costs?

No — it is a pure dollar comparison of fuel, wear, parking and transit fares. Commute time, reliability and stress are real factors worth weighing alongside the monetary result, but they are not priced here.

Austin Commute Cost Calculator

The Austin Commute Cost Calculator settles the daily question: is it cheaper to drive or take CapMetro? It compares an Austin transit pass (about $40/month) against the real cost of driving — local gas prices, your vehicle’s MPG, downtown parking near $130/month, and the IRS per-mile rate that captures wear and depreciation, not just fuel. You get monthly and annual totals both ways, with the cheaper option highlighted for your exact route.

How it works

Driving has two modes. Fuel-only: per trip = (round-trip miles / MPG) x gas price. IRS full cost: per trip = round-trip miles x per-mile rate (default $0.67, which bundles fuel, maintenance, insurance and depreciation). Either way, monthly driving cost is per trip x commute days + monthly parking.

Transit is simpler: a flat monthly CapMetro pass, independent of distance. The tool puts the two monthly figures side by side, multiplies each by 12 for the annual view, and flags the cheaper mode.

Tips and example

A 12-mile one-way commute (24 round trip) for 21 days a month, in a 28 MPG car at $3.10 gas with $130 parking: fuel is about $2.66/trip, so ~$56 fuel plus $130 parking is ~$186/month driving fuel-only — already above the $40 CapMetro pass. Switch to IRS mode and driving climbs past $465/month, making transit dramatically cheaper.

The comparison is dollars only. Weigh commute time and reliability separately when you decide.