Real Job Cost
Salary looks fine until commute, tickets, and childcare eat it. See your true hourly wage and the hidden yearly cost of the job.
Your numbers
Use take-home pay (after tax). Energy buffer is optional unpaid recovery time — set 0 for a strict view.
Reality check
Fill in your numbers to see what this job really pays.
Breakdown
How do you calculate the real cost of a job?
What this tool does
Real Job Cost turns take-home pay, work hours, commute time, transport, childcare, and optional recovery hours into an effective hourly wage and a yearly “hidden cost” figure — so an offer is judged by lived reality, not the headline salary.
Why you need it
Two jobs with the same salary are not equal if one costs two hours of transit and a monthly ticket. Classic calculators ignore time. This one prices both money and hours you never get back.
How to use it
- Enter take-home pay (monthly or yearly) and your work rhythm.
- Add one-way commute minutes and commute days per week.
- Add monthly transport, childcare, and other job-related costs.
- Optionally set an energy buffer for unpaid recovery after long days.
- Read real hourly pay and hidden yearly cost — then Share / Export to apps, WhatsApp, Facebook, or a Story image.
Practical examples
- Remote: Zero commute → real hourly stays close to paid hourly.
- City transit: 35 min each way + ticket — time and money both bite.
- Long drive: 60+ min + fuel/parking + energy buffer — salary can look strong while real hourly collapses.
- Offer compare: Paste two scenarios via share links and compare real hourly side by side.
How it works
Paid hours, commute hours, and energy hours are annualized. Money costs are yearly. Real hourly = (pay − costs) ÷ all those hours. Hidden yearly cost = money costs plus commute/energy time valued at your pure paid hourly rate. Everything runs in JavaScript in your browser; the share link stores inputs in the URL hash.
Common mistakes
- Entering gross pay: Use take-home for an honest picture.
- Ignoring round-trip: One-way minutes are doubled automatically.
- Forgetting parking / daycare: Small monthly lines compound yearly.
- Treating energy buffer as science: It is a judgment call — set 0 if unsure.
FAQ
Is this a tax or net-salary calculator?
No. Enter take-home pay. This tool is about commute and lifestyle job costs.
What is real hourly pay?
Take-home minus yearly costs, divided by paid + commute + energy hours.
What is the energy buffer?
Optional unpaid recovery hours per week. Set 0 for a strict money-and-commute view.
Is my data uploaded?
No — local only. Share links use the URL hash.
Can I share results?
Yes — Share to apps (mobile share sheet with story image), WhatsApp, Facebook, Story PNG (9:16), copy note/link, or feed PNG.
Does Kitnax guarantee accuracy for job decisions?
No. Estimates for reflection only — no liability for career or money decisions.