Price in work hours calculator
Enter your pay and a price to see how long you have to work to afford it.
Settings
Use your take-home pay after taxes for the most honest answer.
Price in work time
- Work days
- $0.00
- Work weeks
- $0.00
- Your hourly rate
- $0.00
How the work time is calculated
First your pay is turned into an hourly rate. A monthly salary is multiplied by 12 and divided by the hours you work in a year (weekly hours × 52); a yearly salary is divided by those hours directly. The price is then divided by your hourly rate.
Work days assume a five-day week, so 40 hours a week means 8-hour days. For example, at $25 an hour a $999 phone costs almost 40 hours – about one full work week.
For the most honest answer, use your take-home pay after taxes, since that is the money you actually spend. Thinking of prices in work hours is a simple way to decide whether something is really worth it.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours do I need to work to afford something?
Divide the price by your hourly take-home pay. If you earn $20 an hour after taxes, a $300 purchase costs 15 hours of work.
Should I use gross or net pay?
Net pay after taxes gives the most realistic answer, because it is the money you actually have to spend. Gross pay makes things look cheaper than they are.
How do I turn a monthly salary into an hourly rate?
Multiply the monthly salary by 12 and divide it by the hours you work in a year. With a 40-hour week that is 2,080 hours, so $4,000 a month is about $23 an hour. The calculator does this for you when you choose Per month.