Ever been stuck in drivetime rush hour traffic on your way to work and thought about all the exciting places you could have been travelling to? We wanted to find out just how far people commute and what this equates to across their working lifetime. How many times could commuters theoretically travel around the world and back?
Our study investigated how many miles workers in over 110 countries around the world commute to and from work in their working lifetime. We combined employment admission age and statutory retirement age with days worked in a lifetime alongside distance of commute data to calculate how many times male and female workers in each country could have circumnavigated the globe.
Most shockingly, workers in Angola, the west African country, who work an average of 42 years in their lifetime, have an average commute that racks up to a staggering 433,124 miles, the same as travelling the world’s circumference just over 17 times.
It’s not just workers in Angola who are affected by long distance commutes, the United States emerged as having the second highest retirement age at 66 and a markedly long commute, placing the country 4th, meaning workers could have embarked on a round-the-world adventure 14 times in their working lifetime. Although UK workers benefit from a shorter lifetime commute than those in the USA, tallied at 193,942 miles, workers could have still, theoretically, seen the world nearly 8 times over, instead taking the monotonous journey to work and back everyday.
Australian workers will be disgruntled to learn that the “Lucky Country” ranked 13th worldwide where workers could have travelled around the world 10.5 times over in their career.
Lucile Michaut, head of GPS comments: “Our findings tap into a very real grudge of the commuter, which is thinking of better ways you could have spent your time. So many of us spend hours each week travelling, yet our destination is depressingly familiar and unexciting; the office. While most of us could not afford a round the world trip instead of working, it does remind us all that there is more to life than the daily grind and perhaps every now and then we should take time out to travel somewhere a little different.”
World Rank:
Country | Average Working Lifespan (Years) | Days Worked in a Lifetime | Distance Travelled Over a Working Lifetime (Miles) | Times Travelled Around the World | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Males | Females | Male | Female | Male | Female | Average | Male | Female | Average | |
Angola | 42 | 42 | 10668 | 10668 | 433124.9 | 433124.9 | 433124.9 | 17.4 | 17.4 | 17.4 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 42 | 42 | 10542 | 10542 | 361587.2 | 361587.2 | 361587.2 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 |
Guatemala | 42 | 42 | 10584 | 10584 | 356188.2 | 356188.2 | 356188.2 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.3 |
United States of America | 48 | 48 | 12048 | 12048 | 340176.5 | 340176.5 | 340176.5 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 |
Egypt | 42 | 42 | 10248 | 10248 | 338258.1 | 338258.1 | 338258.1 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.6 |
Israel | 52 | 49 | 13052 | 12299 | 343707.5 | 323878.2 | 333792.9 | 13.8 | 13 | 13.4 |
Panama | 44 | 39 | 13288 | 11778 | 330766.5 | 293179.4 | 311973 | 13.3 | 11.8 | 12.5 |
Japan | 47 | 47 | 11562 | 11562 | 296136.5 | 296136.5 | 296136.5 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 11.9 |
China, Hong Kong SAR | 47 | 47 | 11609 | 11609 | 291858 | 291858 | 291858 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 |
South Africa | 42 | 42 | 10542 | 10542 | 288876.7 | 288876.7 | 288876.7 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 |
Canada | 47 | 47 | 11938 | 11938 | 266006.9 | 266006.9 | 266006.9 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.7 |
Dominican Republic | 47 | 42 | 11750 | 10500 | 277150.1 | 247666.1 | 262408.1 | 11.1 | 10 | 10.5 |
Australia | 47 | 47 | 11938 | 11938 | 261407.7 | 261407.7 | 261407.7 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.5 |
Lebanon | 46 | 46 | 11454 | 11454 | 261343 | 261343 | 261343 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.5 |
Jordan | 42 | 37 | 10416 | 9176 | 277010.2 | 244032.8 | 260521.5 | 11.1 | 9.8 | 10.5 |
Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 42 | 37 | 12306 | 10841 | 276653.7 | 243718.7 | 260186.2 | 11.1 | 9.8 | 10.5 |
Belgium | 47 | 47 | 11891 | 11891 | 254172.1 | 254172.1 | 254172.1 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.2 |
Costa Rica | 47 | 47 | 11985 | 11985 | 248883.1 | 248883.1 | 248883.1 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Nepal | 40 | 40 | 10200 | 10200 | 247181.4 | 247181.4 | 247181.4 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 |
Italy | 48 | 44 | 12192 | 11176 | 252878.7 | 231805.5 | 242342.1 | 10.2 | 9.3 | 9.7 |
Kuwait | 32 | 32 | 8000 | 8000 | 241290.8 | 241290.8 | 241290.8 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 |
Turkey | 42 | 40 | 10626 | 10120 | 245884.1 | 234175.3 | 240029.7 | 9.9 | 9.4 | 9.7 |
Oman | 42 | 37 | 10626 | 9361 | 248657.2 | 219055.2 | 233856.2 | 10 | 8.8 | 9.4 |
Uruguay | 42 | 42 | 10710 | 10710 | 232920.9 | 232920.9 | 232920.9 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.4 |
Mexico | 47 | 47 | 11844 | 11844 | 229175.4 | 229175.4 | 229175.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 |
Republic of Korea | 42 | 42 | 10500 | 10500 | 226788 | 226788 | 226788 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 |
Kenya | 47 | 47 | 11844 | 11844 | 222699 | 222699 | 222699 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Bangladesh | 47 | 44 | 11797 | 11044 | 224747.4 | 210401.8 | 217574.6 | 9 | 8.5 | 8.7 |
Spain | 47 | 47 | 11844 | 11844 | 215633.9 | 215633.9 | 215633.9 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
Saudi Arabia | 42 | 37 | 10584 | 9324 | 228996.9 | 201735.4 | 215366.1 | 9.2 | 8.1 | 8.7 |
Qatar | 42 | 37 | 10458 | 9213 | 225880.8 | 198990.3 | 212435.5 | 9.1 | 8 | 8.5 |
Slovenia | 45 | 43 | 11475 | 10965 | 217186.9 | 207534.1 | 212360.5 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 8.5 |
Malaysia | 37 | 37 | 9213 | 9213 | 212042.6 | 212042.6 | 212042.6 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Luxembourg | 47 | 47 | 11938 | 11938 | 206960.2 | 206960.2 | 206960.2 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
Zimbabwe | 42 | 42 | 10584 | 10584 | 206110.4 | 206110.4 | 206110.4 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
Morocco | 42 | 42 | 10500 | 10500 | 203430.7 | 203430.7 | 203430.7 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.2 |
China | 42 | 37 | 10458 | 9213 | 211844.5 | 186624.9 | 199234.7 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 8 |
Cambodia | 37 | 37 | 8843 | 8843 | 197812.2 | 197812.2 | 197812.2 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Bahrain | 42 | 37 | 10458 | 9213 | 208205.5 | 183419.1 | 195812.3 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 7.9 |
Slovakia | 44 | 42 | 11000 | 10500 | 199857.8 | 190773.3 | 195315.5 | 8 | 7.7 | 7.9 |
United Kingdom | 47 | 43 | 11985 | 10965 | 202562 | 185322.7 | 193942.3 | 8.1 | 7.5 | 7.8 |
Brazil | 47 | 42 | 11891 | 10626 | 204224.3 | 182498.3 | 193361.3 | 8.2 | 7.3 | 7.8 |
Venezuela | 42 | 37 | 10374 | 9139 | 205372.8 | 180923.7 | 193148.3 | 8.3 | 7.3 | 7.8 |
Sweden | 47 | 47 | 11891 | 11891 | 189299.1 | 189299.1 | 189299.1 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.6 |
Pakistan | 42 | 37 | 10584 | 9324 | 196640.1 | 173230.5 | 184935.3 | 7.9 | 7 | 7.4 |
TYFR Macedonia | 46 | 44 | 11546 | 11044 | 188111.4 | 179932.7 | 184022.1 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 7.4 |
Portugal | 47 | 47 | 11985 | 11985 | 182752.6 | 182752.6 | 182752.6 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
Russian Federation | 42 | 37 | 10374 | 9139 | 192093.9 | 169225.5 | 180659.7 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.3 |
Libya | 47 | 42 | 11938 | 10668 | 190344 | 170094.6 | 180219.3 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.2 |
Djibouti | 42 | 42 | 10794 | 10794 | 178810.7 | 178810.7 | 178810.7 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
Ireland | 47 | 47 | 11844 | 11844 | 178394.7 | 178394.7 | 178394.7 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
Germany | 47 | 47 | 11938 | 11938 | 177881.9 | 177881.9 | 177881.9 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
Finland | 47 | 47 | 11938 | 11938 | 177436.8 | 177436.8 | 177436.8 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 |
Fiji | 37 | 37 | 9361 | 9361 | 174499.6 | 174499.6 | 174499.6 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Singapore | 37 | 37 | 9176 | 9176 | 171279.1 | 171279.1 | 171279.1 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
Argentina | 47 | 42 | 11515 | 10290 | 180880.6 | 161638 | 171259.3 | 7.3 | 6.5 | 6.9 |
New Zealand | 47 | 47 | 11797 | 11797 | 170649.7 | 170649.7 | 170649.7 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
France | 42 | 42 | 10584 | 10584 | 169939.1 | 169939.1 | 169939.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
Indonesia | 37 | 37 | 9065 | 9065 | 168981.8 | 168981.8 | 168981.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
Greece | 47 | 47 | 11797 | 11797 | 164932.1 | 164932.1 | 164932.1 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 |
Switzerland | 47 | 46 | 12267 | 12006 | 166624.7 | 163079.5 | 164852.1 | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.6 |
Norway | 49 | 49 | 12397 | 12397 | 164693.1 | 164693.1 | 164693.1 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 |
Georgia | 47 | 42 | 11656 | 10416 | 173824.8 | 155332.8 | 164578.8 | 7 | 6.2 | 6.6 |
Austria | 47 | 42 | 11797 | 10542 | 172115.8 | 153805.6 | 162960.7 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 6.6 |
Lesotho | 52 | 52 | 13104 | 13104 | 162848.9 | 162848.9 | 162848.9 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Thailand | 37 | 37 | 8954 | 8954 | 162684.2 | 162684.2 | 162684.2 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Sri Lanka | 37 | 32 | 8954 | 7744 | 172587.7 | 149265 | 160926.4 | 6.9 | 6 | 6.5 |
Denmark | 47 | 47 | 11891 | 11891 | 158709.8 | 158709.8 | 158709.8 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
India | 37 | 37 | 8436 | 8436 | 158619.5 | 158619.5 | 158619.5 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
Tunisia | 42 | 42 | 10584 | 10584 | 155470.6 | 155470.6 | 155470.6 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
Poland | 47 | 42 | 11938 | 10668 | 161414.1 | 144242.4 | 152828.2 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 6.1 |
Peru | 47 | 47 | 11797 | 11797 | 151151.1 | 151151.1 | 151151.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
Philippines | 42 | 42 | 10206 | 10206 | 147000.9 | 147000.9 | 147000.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 |
Chile | 47 | 42 | 11797 | 10542 | 153936.6 | 137560.4 | 145748.5 | 6.2 | 5.5 | 5.9 |
Barbados | 48 | 48 | 12048 | 12048 | 144634.9 | 144634.9 | 144634.9 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
Nigeria | 32 | 32 | 7968 | 7968 | 144571.7 | 144571.7 | 144571.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
Czech Republic | 44 | 43 | 11044 | 10793 | 144934.3 | 141640.4 | 143287.4 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.8 |
Hungary | 45 | 45 | 11295 | 11295 | 141069.5 | 141069.5 | 141069.5 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 |
Azerbaijan | 45 | 41 | 10800 | 9840 | 146295.6 | 133291.5 | 139793.6 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 5.6 |
Iceland | 49 | 49 | 12152 | 12152 | 139540.6 | 139540.6 | 139540.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
Honduras | 47 | 42 | 11797 | 10542 | 146606.3 | 131009.9 | 138808.1 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 |
Ecuador | 42 | 42 | 10500 | 10500 | 132967.2 | 132967.2 | 132967.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
Paraguay | 42 | 42 | 10374 | 10374 | 132403 | 132403 | 132403 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
Ukraine | 42 | 38 | 10416 | 9424 | 137728.4 | 124611.4 | 131169.9 | 5.5 | 5 | 5.3 |
Iraq | 42 | 37 | 10584 | 9324 | 139423.7 | 122825.7 | 131124.7 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 5.3 |
Bahamas | 47 | 47 | 11797 | 11797 | 129746.6 | 129746.6 | 129746.6 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 |
Belarus | 42 | 37 | 10626 | 9361 | 135619.2 | 119474.1 | 127546.6 | 5.5 | 4.8 | 5.1 |
Colombia | 42 | 37 | 10206 | 8991 | 135459 | 119332.9 | 127395.9 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 5.1 |
Armenia | 45 | 45 | 11295 | 11295 | 126611.7 | 126611.7 | 126611.7 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
Croatia | 47 | 42 | 11797 | 10542 | 133118.5 | 118957 | 126037.7 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 5.1 |
Republic of Moldova | 44 | 39 | 10956 | 9711 | 133431.7 | 118269 | 125850.4 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 5.1 |
Zambia | 37 | 37 | 9287 | 9287 | 115413.4 | 115413.4 | 115413.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Serbia | 47 | 42 | 11891 | 10626 | 121322.8 | 108416.1 | 114869.5 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
Uganda | 37 | 37 | 9250 | 9250 | 112079.8 | 112079.8 | 112079.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
Lithuania | 45 | 42 | 11340 | 10584 | 113587.1 | 106014.6 | 109800.9 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.4 |
Latvia | 44 | 44 | 10912 | 10912 | 109028.8 | 109028.8 | 109028.8 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.4 |
Bulgaria | 45 | 42 | 11160 | 10416 | 108316.9 | 101095.8 | 104706.3 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.2 |
Romania | 46 | 41 | 11638 | 10373 | 107171.1 | 95522 | 101346.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.1 |
Bolivia | 40 | 40 | 9920 | 9920 | 98624 | 98624 | 98624 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Namibia | 42 | 42 | 10500 | 10500 | 97865.9 | 97865.9 | 97865.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
Viet Nam | 42 | 37 | 10374 | 9139 | 103653.3 | 91313.6 | 97483.5 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.9 |
Malta | 43 | 42 | 10750 | 10500 | 94451.5 | 92255 | 93353.2 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 |
Cameroon | 42 | 42 | 10626 | 10626 | 92437.6 | 92437.6 | 92437.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
Cyprus | 47 | 47 | 11703 | 11703 | 90026.2 | 90026.2 | 90026.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
Kazakhstan | 45 | 40 | 11070 | 9840 | 87633.1 | 77896.1 | 82764.6 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
United Republic of Tanzania | 42 | 42 | 10416 | 10416 | 80902.5 | 80902.5 | 80902.5 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
Estonia | 45 | 43 | 11340 | 10836 | 78073.5 | 74603.6 | 76338.6 | 3.1 | 3 | 3.1 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 47 | 47 | 12032 | 12032 | 76258.6 | 76258.6 | 76258.6 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
Kyrgyzstan | 45 | 40 | 11385 | 10120 | 71450.5 | 63511.6 | 67481 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.7 |
Syrian Arab Republic | 42 | 37 | 10584 | 9324 | 71553.3 | 63035.1 | 67294.2 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
Albania | 47 | 42 | 11938 | 10668 | 66761.3 | 59659.1 | 63210.2 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
Mongolia | 42 | 37 | 10626 | 9361 | 62857.6 | 55374.5 | 59116.1 | 2.5 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
El Salvador | 42 | 37 | 10458 | 9213 | 56275.3 | 49575.8 | 52925.5 | 2.3 | 2 | 2.1 |
Mozambiqu | 42 | 37 | 10584 | 9324 | 54059.6 | 47623.9 | 50841.7 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2 |
Montenegro | 47 | 42 | 11703 | 10458 | 49449 | 44188.4 | 46818.7 | 2 | 1.8 | 1.9 |
Jamaica | 47 | 42 | 11891 | 10626 | 47583.4 | 42521.3 | 45052.3 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.8 |
Cuba | 47 | 42 | 11938 | 10668 | 37089.6 | 33143.9 | 35116.8 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
Ethiopia | 42 | 42 | 10500 | 10500 | 32622 | 32622 | 32622 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
Our vehicle tracking expert recommends that businesses who operate car fringe benefits for their employees should consider implementing a GPS car tracker in each of their vehicles to monitor distances against fuel usage to ensure cost savings across the business.