What this calculator does
Hours of work to buy something works out prices a purchase in hours of your life. Enter your own figures above and the answer updates as you type: nothing is fixed in the code, so the result reflects exactly the numbers you supply.
The formula this calculator evaluates is printed under the tool and explained below, so you can check the working by hand or reuse it in a spreadsheet.
The formula
FormulaHours = price / after-tax hourly rate; effective rate = (income − work costs) / (hours + commute)
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Price of the item ($) | A number, measured in your currency. Starts at 1800. |
| Take-home pay per week ($) | A number, measured in your currency. Starts at 1400. |
| Hours worked per week | A number. Starts at 38. |
| Commuting hours per week | A number. Starts at 5. |
| Weekly cost of working (transport, lunch) ($) | A number, measured in your currency. Starts at 120. |
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How the answer changes with price of the item
Every other input is held at the calculator’s starting values while price of the item varies. Select any row to load that scenario into the calculator.