Compare the Raise with the Commute
This driving-commute estimate compares the after-tax salary change with the change in vehicle costs and a monetary value assigned to your time. A positive result means the offered job has a modeled advantage under your inputs. It does not decide whether you should accept a job.
Adjust the Assumptions
The five assumption fields are editable. Defaults are 2,000 annual working hours, 48 commuting weeks, 30 mph average driving speed, $0.67 per mile and a 25% estimated tax rate on the salary change. They are illustrative values, not current official mileage rates or a personalized tax calculation.
Both jobs are assumed to have the same office days per week, commuting weeks, annual working hours, average speed and cost per mile. Average speed converts the difference in driving time into estimated mileage. If the routes have very different speeds or transport modes, this model may not fit your comparison.
Cash Costs and the Value of Time
The cash-change result subtracts the estimated extra driving cost from the after-tax salary change. The net-advantage result also subtracts the value of extra commute time, using current gross salary divided by annual working hours. Time value is a personal valuation, not money deducted from your paycheck. Negative changes in driving cost or commute time mean savings from a shorter commute.
Benefits, bonuses, parking, tolls, childcare, different working hours and career preferences are not included. Adjust the comparison separately for these differences.
Worked Example
With the defaults, the raise is $12,000 gross or $9,000 after the assumed tax. The longer commute adds 240 hours per year. At $35 per hour, that time is valued at $8,400. The assumed speed implies 7,200 extra miles, costing $4,824 at $0.67 per mile. The cash change is $4,176; after valuing time, the modeled net advantage is −$4,224 per year.