What commuting from London really costs

Last reviewed October 30, 2026

The savings on a London home are easy to see. The cost of the commute is easier to underestimate. Here's how to put a realistic number on it, so you can compare it fairly with what you'll save on housing.

Driving costs

A round trip to downtown Toronto is roughly 380–400 km. Costs include:

• Fuel or electricity: distance × your vehicle's consumption × the price of fuel (or electricity for an EV).
• Wear and depreciation: tires, maintenance and the faster loss of value from high mileage. The CAA Driving Costs Calculator estimates per-kilometre operating and ownership costs for specific vehicles.
• Tolls: if you use Highway 407 ETR, check its toll calculator for your route and time.
• Parking: downtown Toronto daily parking is expensive, while suburban offices often have free parking.
• Insurance: long commuting distances can affect your premium. Tell your insurer how you'll use the car.

Train costs

• VIA fares: single tickets vary with booking time and class. Multi-trip passes usually lower the per-trip cost for regular commuters. See VIA Rail.
• Getting to the station: parking near London station, or transit and cycling.
• Toronto transit from Union to your office, if it's not walkable.

Overnights and extras

• Hotels, or a share of a GTA rental, if you stay over.
• Meals on long days.
• Childcare or pet care for extended days.

Your time

The hardest cost to measure. Five hours of round-trip travel, once or twice a week, is a lot of time. Some of it can be productive (on the train) or enjoyable (podcasts, audiobooks). Some of it is simply lost. It's worth deciding honestly what that time is worth to you.

A worksheet

Trips per year: multiply your office days per week by the number of working weeks you'll actually travel. Many people find it's around 45–48 weeks after holidays.

Ways to cut the cost

• Carpool: splitting the drive halves fuel and parking. Use MTO carpool lots along the 401.
• Pair office days to reduce round trips. See hybrid schedules.
• Choose an efficient vehicle. A hybrid or EV can sharply reduce per-kilometre energy costs on a long highway commute.
• Use multi-trip train passes rather than single fares.
• Ask your employer about travel support for required office days, parking or transit benefits.
• Live near your route: the 401 or the VIA station. See where to live.

Taxes

Regular commuting between home and your normal workplace is generally a personal expense and not tax-deductible. Different rules can apply to travel your employer requires to other locations, and to home-office expenses. Ask an accountant.

The bottom line

For one or two office days a week, many commuters find the total cost is well below what they save on housing. At three or more days, the gap narrows, and the time cost grows. Run your own numbers and decide with both in mind.

An illustrative comparison

Hypothetically, consider someone commuting to downtown Toronto one day a week for 46 weeks. Driving, they'd cover roughly 18,000 extra kilometres a year, so wear and depreciation alone (using a per-kilometre figure from the CAA calculator for their car) can add up to more than fuel, before parking. By train, they'd buy 92 one-way trips, or a suitable multi-trip pass. Neither number is small, but for many households both are well below the annual difference in housing costs. Run it with your own car, fares and schedule.