Personal Finance
Car vs Bus Cost Calculator
Enter yearly car fuel, parking and wear against a bus pass and occasional taxi spend; distance optional.
Is the bus cheaper than driving?
Choosing between driving and the bus is clearer as an annual cash comparison. Sum car fuel, parking or congestion charges and a wear/servicing allowance, optionally adding distance × a per-unit running cost, then stack that against a yearly bus pass plus the taxis or rideshares you still take when routes fail. The cheaper column wins on money alone — time, weather and reliability stay outside the model unless you price them into wear or taxi. Commuters who already model rail can cross-check with car vs train; trip energy costs sit in fuel cost.
Worked example
Car £1,400 fuel + £600 parking + £400 wear = £2,400. Bus pass £900 + taxis £200 = £1,100 → bus cheaper by £1,300/year in this sketch.
Limits and assumptions
Omits insurance and depreciation unless you fold them into wear. Pass products vary (monthly vs annual).
Frequently asked questions
What should go in “wear”?
Servicing, tyres, unexpected repairs and a simple depreciation slice if you want ownership costs in the car total.
Do I need the distance fields?
Only if you prefer costing some car expense as money × distance instead of a flat yearly fuel figure.
What about employer parking or season tickets?
Enter the amount you personally pay after any subsidy.
How do hybrid weeks work?
Average a realistic mix — for example four bus days and one car day — into yearly totals before comparing.