With many employers reinstating back-to-office policies post-pandemic, the cost and toll of commuting is once again under the spotlight. From exploitative train fares to overpriced lattes, the daily journey can often feel more exhausting than the working day itself.
To uncover which European countries offer the best (and worst) experiences for commuters, cross-border e-commerce platform Ubuy has created an official ranking of 34 European countries. The ranking takes into account factors such as monthly commuting costs, parking fees, coffee and lunch prices, average commute times, lunch breaks, annual leave, working hours, and overall happiness scores. These elements were combined to calculate an overall score – where a lower score indicates a better ranking.
The UK has been revealed as the worst country in Europe for commuters, in joint worst place with Greece. With Cyprus, Italy and France rounding out the top five worst countries for work commuting.
However, not every country in Europe can gloat about its affordable commuting costs and work-life balance. At the bottom of the leaderboard is…
The United Kingdom, with a total score of 107. With an average monthly commute cost of £67.21, the third highest in the ranking, UK commuters are paying extortionate amounts just to get to work. With prices like that, it might actually be cheaper to fly to one of the top ten European countries for commuting than to hop on a train to the office.
The UK was also one of the countries with the longest average commute, at 40 minutes, compared to many others where the journey clocked in at half an hour or less. The UK had the joint lowest number of guaranteed PTO for full time roles, apart from bank holidays, at 20 days. At 6.75, the British Happiness Index is also lower than many other countries.
Greece also scored 107 points. Long working weeks averaging 39.8 hours and a lower Happiness Index score of 5.93 may have contributed to its low ranking.
Next up is Cyprus, with a score of 99. While it might have sunshine, the average monthly commuting cost still comes in at £31.68.
Italy lands next from the bottom, scoring 98. Parking doesn’t come cheap here, with an average all-day rate of £20.91. Commuting for the month costs £52.27 on average.
France completes the bottom five with a score of 97. Commuters here face an average monthly cost of £56 – the ninth highest across all countries ranked.
Let’s get into the top ten countries with the best scores:
Top of the leaderboard? Estonia. Commuters here might just be the most likely to arrive at work with a smile, as Estonia scored 64 points overall partly thanks to low costs across commuting, lunch and a morning coffee.
In joint second place, Finland and Lithuania with 68 overall points. Finland stands out for quality of life – boasting the happiest population in the ranking and 25 days of annual leave excluding bank holidays. Lithuania, on the other hand, is all about value with a month’s commute costing just £22.40 and coffee at £1.14.
Third place is shared by Sweden and Romania. Sweden, much like Finland, impresses with a strong work-life balance, meanwhile, Romania is a frugal commuter’s dream, with low costs for coffee, lunch, travel and commuting. Both achieved a respectful 74 points overall.
In fourth, Poland ticks all the right boxes: a decent cost of living, £26.14 for a month’s commute, and 26 days of annual leave – the fourth highest in the study. Poland boasts 75 points overall.
Not far behind Poland, by only 2 points, is the Czech Republic and Serbia, both tied for fifth place with 77 overall points. Serbia especially stands out for value, with affordable coffee and lunch and some of the cheapest all-day parking in Europe. The Czech Republic also offers reasonable prices across the board and a strong overall quality of life.
Rounding off the top ten, here’s how the rest of the countries ranked. In joint sixth place, the Netherlands, Austria and Slovenia all scored a solid 79 points. Next up, Denmark, Luxembourg and Latvia shared seventh place with 80 points each. Norway and Hungary followed closely behind in eighth, both earning 82 points. Belgium landed in ninth place with 85 points, while Malta, Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina rounded out the top ten, each scoring 86 points.
“With more people returning to office life, the daily work commute has once again become a major factor in overall wellbeing and work satisfaction,” said Faizan Khan, spokesperson for Ubuy. “We created this ranking to showcase how different European countries compare when it comes to commuting costs, work-life balance, and general happiness. Estonia’s top ranking shows that affordable transport and a healthy work culture really do make a difference – while the UK’s position at the bottom highlights just how costly and stressful work commuting can be in some regions.”
Commuting experiences vary across countries due to several factors. Whether driving or using public transport, costs such as parking fees or tickets for buses, trams, and trains all add up. Working conditions also play a significant role in shaping how people feel about their daily commute. Travelling to and from work is generally easier when workers have enough rest, sufficient days off to recharge, and a decent lunch break.