How is the driving cost calculated?

Driving cost is round-trip miles per month times two cost components: fuel (miles ÷ MPG × gas price) and the IRS standard per-mile rate that captures depreciation, maintenance and insurance. Monthly parking is added on top.

Why use the IRS mileage rate?

The IRS standard mileage rate (about $0.67/mile) is the accepted estimate of the full cost of operating a car — not just gas, but depreciation, repairs, tyres and insurance. Using it gives a truer driving cost than fuel alone.

What does the IndyGo pass cost?

IndyGo's 31-Day unlimited pass is about $60. The default reflects that, but you can change it — for example to a reduced fare or a stacked Day Pass total if you ride less often.

Does this include parking at home?

No. The parking field is for your destination (downtown garage or lot). Home parking is typically free, so only paid commuter parking should be entered.

Is my data sent anywhere?

No. Every figure is computed in your browser and nothing is uploaded or stored.

Indianapolis Commute Cost Calculator

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Getting to work in Indianapolis costs more than just gas. This free calculator compares driving — fuel, parking, and the real per-mile cost of owning a car — against an IndyGo monthly transit pass, so you can see which option actually saves you money each month.

How it works

Driving has three cost components per month:

round-trip miles = one-way miles × 2 × commute days
fuel cost        = (round-trip miles ÷ MPG) × gas price
ownership cost   = round-trip miles × IRS per-mile rate
driving total    = fuel cost + ownership cost + monthly parking

The IRS standard mileage rate (about $0.67 per mile) is used for the ownership cost because it captures depreciation, maintenance, insurance and repairs — not just fuel. The transit side is simply the IndyGo 31-day pass price (default $60). The tool subtracts the two totals and tells you the monthly saving of the cheaper option.

Example

A 12-mile each-way commute, 20 days a month, a car doing 28 MPG, gas at $3.40, and $80 downtown parking:

Round-trip miles: 12 × 2 × 20 = 480
Fuel: 480 ÷ 28 × 3.40 ≈ $58
Ownership: 480 × 0.67 ≈ $322
Parking: $80
Driving total: ≈ $460/mo vs an IndyGo pass at $60 — transit saves about $400.

Notes

Ownership cost dominates for longer commutes, which is why transit often wins on paper even when fuel looks cheap. If you would keep the car anyway (so depreciation is sunk), compare fuel + parking only against the pass for the marginal decision.