'It costs me $7,820 a year to come back': Remote worker adds up the total cost of returning to the office 2 days/week, is baffled by the number

JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor

Jun 30, 2026 10:00 AM EDT

How much would it truly cost for you to return to the office?

There is a hidden cost to everything, even commuting to an office, as proved by this remote work Reddit post. The realities of jobs are sometimes far different from the fantasies we are fed when we're signing up. Things also have a way of changing over time, and the way your job changes can directly affect how much you enjoy it or how much you feel it adds to your life. On the other hand, it's a tough job market out there, and if you have a job you can semi-tolerate and it pays you a living wage, you should probably hold onto it with everything you've got. Nobody wants to feel undervalued, and nobody wants to be fighting for what's right in the face of something immovable. That's what this person was up against, and they wondered if anyone else shared their frustrations. Returning to the office is no joke, and it's starting to happen in waves. Even folks who have worked remotely for years and years are starting to inch their way back to in-person work. It's a mixed bag for many. Some think that it's worth it to engender the kind of connection and collaboration that can come from working in an office, while others bemoan the loss of flexibility. But what about the real, material cost of it? Should that be a factor in decisions to return to the office? This worker thought so.

via Unsplash+ (Mohamed hamdi)

A man's hands at a desk writing something in a notebook
My company calls it just two days a week. I did the math. It costs me $7,820 a year to come back.

via OkCan8173
via OkCan8173
via OkCan8173
via OkCan8173
via OkCan8173
Sometimes you have to really sit down and crunch the numbers to understand the impact of something. You can live in the abstract all day long, but when you actually look at the numbers, a clearer picture starts to appear. That's what this worker did to prove a point to his partner. There is definitely a cost to returning to in-person work, but just how bad is it? Keep scrolling to read this worker's take on it and see if you agree with his assessment.
Commenters gave their advice and opinions.

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