These 10 U.S. Cities Have the Most Expensive Daily Commutes
As companies continue to demand that workers return to the office, the topic of commuting — and how expensive it can be — is back in the news. Commuting costs can put a significant dent in the wallets of U.S. workers, especially in cities where long travel distances, expensive public transportation, and high gas prices make the daily trek to work particularly steep. These costs, which reflect not just financial burdens but also the time spent on the road or stuck in transit, can greatly affect a worker’s quality of life.
Wondering where your city stacks up? Here are the 10 U.S. cities with the most expensive commutes in 2023 using data from the Chamber of Commerce.
1. San Francisco, CA
Topping the list with an average annual commuting cost of $12,650.66 — and surprising absolutely no one — is San Francisco. Residents here spend an average of $49.99 per day commuting, with the city’s long commute times and high transportation costs adding to the burden. The Bay Area also suffers from expensive public transportation, parking fees, and bridge tolls.
2. Fremont, CA
Commuters in Fremont face an average annual cost of $12,048.32. With an average daily expense of $50.37 and a commute time of over 55 minutes, many residents travel to nearby tech hubs like San Francisco or San Jose, which drives up their costs. The reliance on both personal vehicles and public transit makes commuting in this California city particularly expensive.
3. Washington, D.C.
In the nation’s capital, commuters spend an average of $11,067.07 annually on their daily travels. D.C.’s extensive public transit system can be costly, with the average traveler spending $45.12 per day to get to work. Long commute times, paired with the high cost of living in and around the metro D.C. area, make it one of the most expensive cities for commuters.
4. Jersey City, NJ
Jersey City commuters spend about $10,903.23 getting to and from work each year. The high cost is driven by an average daily expense of $37 and a commute time of 68 minutes, as many travel to nearby New York City for work. Expensive public transit options — including PATH trains and tolls for bridges and tunnels — also contribute to these high costs.
5. New York, NY
It’s no secret that residents in the Big Apple spend a ton of money on transit, with their annual commuting costs averaging $10,831.74, or $31.40 per day. The city’s public transit system — while extensive — comes with steep fares, especially for longer trips or multiple transfers. Commute times in New York are also some of the longest in the country (if you’ve had to commute from any of the four boroughs to Manhattan, you know the struggle), which adds to the overall time and money spent in transit.
6. Santa Clarita, CA
Santa Clarita commuters spent an average of $10,743.52 getting to and from work each year, with a daily cost of $37.34. Located about 30 miles from Los Angeles, many residents face long commutes into the city, which contribute to higher gas and car maintenance costs. The sprawling layout of the region also forces reliance on personal vehicles to get around.
7. Seattle, WA
As a growing tech hub, residents in Seattle incur an average annual commuting cost of $10,361.54, with a daily expense of $45.46. Despite its growing public transit system, many Seattleites rely on cars due to the city’s geographic spread. High gas prices, tolls, and the cost of parking in downtown Seattle all drive up the expenses associated with commuting.
8. Sunnyvale, CA
In Sunnyvale, located in Silicon Valley, commuters spend $10,354.08 annually getting to and from work each year. The city’s daily commuting cost of $60.34 (I bet your pardon?! You can buy a nice dinner with 60 bucks.) is one of the highest in the country. Though workers have shorter commutes of about 39.6 minutes, the cost of living in Silicon Valley cancels that out.
9. Frisco, TX
Frisco, a suburb of Dallas, has an average commuting expense of $10,093.28 per year. With a daily cost of $44.28 and a commute time of over 52 minutes, residents face both high transportation costs as well as lengthy time spent on the road, particularly for those who must rely on driving to get to work. The city’s rapid growth has also contributed to these costs.
10. Huntington Beach, CA
Huntington Beach residents spend an average of $9,463.59 annually on commuting. With a daily cost of $40.90 and an average commute time of 53.4 minutes, workers in this Southern California city face high fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. Like other cities in California, commuting is largely car-dependent, which further drives up costs and time spent in traffic.