Commuting Costs Employees Thousands in Lost Time, Study Reveals Impact on Work-Life Balance

Analysis finds average worker loses $8,100 annually due to commuting time

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A new analysis by MyPerfectResume found that the average worker loses $8,158 annually due to time spent commuting, with the cost being even higher in expensive metro areas like San Jose, California ($13,250) and New York City ($12,200). As some large employers call workers back to the office full-time, the debate continues over the effects of remote or hybrid policies on productivity, collaboration, and creativity.

Why it matters

Time spent commuting can quietly erode earnings, especially in high-cost metro areas. As return-to-office mandates expand, workers may need to weigh lost time against salary and flexibility. The findings highlight the significant financial impact of commuting on employees and the ongoing debate around remote and hybrid work policies.

The details

The analysis by MyPerfectResume relied on data from the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine the average time people spend commuting in metro areas and the average hourly wage in those areas. It then calculated the dollar value of a worker's commuting time over a year. For the average worker earning $36.53 per hour and commuting 223 hours per year, the time-value cost of commuting amounts to $8,158 annually. In the San Jose metro area, the time lost to commuting was worth more than $13,250 to the average worker, while in the New York City metro area, workers spent 300 hours annually commuting, for a time-value cost of nearly $12,200.

  • The analysis was published on February 13, 2026.

The players

MyPerfectResume

A resume-builder website that conducted the analysis on the cost of commuting time for workers.

Jamie Dimon

The CEO of JPMorgan who has argued that hybrid and work-from-home policies hurt creativity and productivity in the office.

Nicholas Bloom

A Stanford economics professor whose research has found that workers with a hybrid schedule (three days a week in person) are no less productive than those who work fully in person and are far less prone to quit.

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What’s next

As return-to-office policies continue to evolve, workers and employers will need to carefully consider the impact of commuting time on productivity, work-life balance, and employee retention.

The takeaway

This analysis highlights the significant financial impact of commuting on employees and the ongoing debate around remote and hybrid work policies. As companies weigh the pros and cons of in-office versus remote work, the cost of commuting time will be an important factor to consider in order to attract and retain top talent.