A new report by cross-border e-commerce site Ubuy has revealed the best and worst countries in Europe for commuting. The report looks at key commuting and work-life factors in 34 European countries, including the average cost of public transport, all-day parking, coffee and lunch prices, paid time off, and happiness index scores.
Estonia topped the list overall, with its low transport and food costs contributing to a more affordable and enjoyable daily commute. In contrast, the UK had some of the highest transport costs and longer working hours, making it the worst-ranked country.
The new review has looked at 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 top ten countries
Top of the leaderboard is Estonia. Commuters here might just be the most likely to arrive at work with a smile, as Estonia scored 64 points overall. With some of the lowest transport costs in Europe (£18.67 per month), plus a morning coffee at just £1.49 and lunch for £7.47, it’s easy to see why this country came out on top.
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, short working weeks (just 34.9 hours on average), and 25 days of paid leave. Lithuania, on the other hand, is all about value. With a month’s commute costing just £22.40 and coffee at £1.14, easily achieving city life without the price tag.
Third place is shared by Sweden and Romania. Sweden, much like Finland, impresses with a strong work-life balance: 25 paid days off, a shorter working week, and high happiness scores. Meanwhile, Romania is a frugal commuter’s dream, with a monthly travel cost of just £18.67, coffee for £1.34 and lunch for only £6.72. Both with 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. It’s a practical choice for professionals who want a balance of affordability and time off. 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: a £14.93 monthly commute, lunch at just £5.60, 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.
At the bottom of the leaderboard is the UK, 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.
Greece follows closely, also with 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 fourth 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.
