Your Daily Commute: Are You Paying More in Time or Money?

Every morning, millions of South Africans join the daily migration to work, whether by car, taxi, train, or on foot. We rarely factor in the invaluable cost of time in our daily decision of how to get from point A to point B. But what about the cost we can’t see? What about the minutes and hours we spend in transit?

Based on insights from WesBank, we break down whether you’re paying more in time or money, comparing the trade-offs of e-hailing, taxis and car ownership.

“Mobility is not just about getting from A to B,” notes Lebogang Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communications at WesBank. “It’s about what that journey costs you in time, in money and in quality of life.”

The Heavy Tax of Time

The figures are staggering. According to a recent study from the University of Cape Town, many South Africans spend between 30 and 60 minutes travelling one way to work.

Let’s break that down. That’s roughly 7.5 hours a week, or the equivalent of four full working days, that you spend just commuting every single month. Over a year, it adds up to more than 360 hours, or 15 full days, lost to travel.

“Every extra hour spent commuting is an hour away from family, rest or personal growth,” adds Gaoaketse. “That’s part of the real cost of mobility.”

For many, this time-cost is not a choice. The same study highlights that walking accounts for over 55% of all trips in the country. For one in three South Africans, this is not a recreational choice but a financial necessity, as they cannot afford other transport options. This significantly increases the time-cost, especially for lower-income households.

The Trade-Off: Rands vs. Reliability

For those with options, the daily commute becomes a complex equation of trade-offs. Each choice has a different mix of cost, convenience, and time.

E-hailing: Convenience at a Premium

Using an app-based service for two trips a day, at about R80 each, can total around R3,200 per month. It offers high flexibility, but the costs can quickly escalate.

Gautrain: Fast and Expensive

A daily round trip from Pretoria to Sandton costs between R120 and R140, adding up to R2,800 to R3,500 monthly. You gain comfort and high reliability, but you are limited to its fixed routes.

Minibus Taxis: Affordable but Unpredictable

As the most affordable option, trips costing R15 to R25 can add up to a modest R600 to R1,000 per month. However, this affordability often comes at the cost of predictability in time and safety.

The Value of Control

This is where the value of owning a vehicle enters the equation. While it comes with clear budget items like repayments, fuel, insurance, and maintenance, it offers something the other options struggle with, predictability.

Owning a car brings a sense of control, independence, and the freedom to plan your day with fewer restrictions. When you have a clear picture of these costs, you can budget for them, turning what could be a volatile expense into a confident, predictable choice.

The New Solution: The “Hybrid Commuter”

Increasingly, South Africans are moving away from a single-solution mindset and are embracing “hybrid mobility lifestyles”.

This blended approach is about finding a personal, flexible solution. It might look like using a small, fuel-efficient car for the daily work commute and switching to e-hailing services for weekend social outings. For others, it means combining public transport for the main journey with an e-hailing service to cover the “first and last mile” from the station to home.

Many families are also adapting by downscaling to just one car, balancing affordability with flexibility by coordinating schedules or supplementing with lift clubs.

Finding Your Balance

Ultimately, the true cost of mobility is a deeply personal calculation. There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution.

The most affordable option might be costing you hours of your life. The most convenient thing might be pushing your budget to its limit. The real win is finding the combination that empowers you, giving you the balance of freedom and practicality that works for your life.

Before your next commute, take five minutes to calculate what it’s truly costing you; in both time and money. Visit the WesBank blog for tools and insights that help you find your balance.