How much is a COTA monthly pass?

A Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) 31-day local pass is around $62. The tool uses that figure as the transit baseline, and you can compare it against your own driving cost.

Why show both a cash and a full-cost driving figure?

The cash figure counts only fuel plus parking — what leaves your wallet now. The full-cost figure uses the IRS standard mileage rate, which also captures depreciation, insurance, and maintenance per mile.

What is the IRS standard mileage rate?

It is a per-mile rate (about $0.67) the IRS publishes to approximate the total cost of operating a vehicle. Multiplying your monthly miles by it estimates the true economic cost of driving.

Does this include car payments?

No. The IRS rate covers operating and ownership wear, but not your specific loan or lease payment. Add that separately if you want an all-in monthly figure.

Are the defaults exact for Columbus?

They are representative — gas price, parking, and mileage all vary by neighborhood and habits. Replace the defaults with your own numbers for an accurate comparison.

Columbus Commute Cost Calculator

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This calculator shows the real monthly cost of getting to work in Columbus and compares driving against a COTA transit pass. It separates the cash you spend now from the full economic cost of driving.

How it works

Driving cost is computed two ways, then compared to the transit pass:

monthly_miles = round_trip_miles * commute_days
fuel_cost     = (monthly_miles / mpg) * gas_price
drive_cash    = fuel_cost + monthly_parking
drive_full    = monthly_miles * IRS_rate + monthly_parking
transit       = COTA monthly pass (~$62)

The cash basis answers “what leaves my wallet,” while the full-cost basis uses the IRS standard mileage rate to include depreciation and maintenance.

Example

A 22-mile round trip over 22 days is 484 miles. At 28 mpg and $3.20/gallon that is about $55 in fuel; adding $80 parking gives a $135 cash driving cost, versus $62 for a COTA pass — transit saves roughly $73/month on cash alone.

Tips

Use your real gas price and parking. If you carpool or park free, driving cash cost drops sharply; if you have a long highway commute, the full IRS-cost figure better reflects the wear you are putting on the car.