Compare the annual total cost of on-site vs remote work models, showing the yearly savings from choosing remote and the savings per worker.
Input Data
Results
At a glance:The total cost of each model is salary plus its per-worker burden; the difference is the saving from remote work.
Formula
onLocationTotal = workers × (salaryPerWorker + officeCostPerWorker)
remoteTotal = workers × (salaryPerWorker + remoteCostPerWorker)
annualSavings = onLocationTotal − remoteTotal
savingsPerWorker = annualSavings / workers
$$\text{On-site} = N \times (S + C_{\text{office}})$$$$\text{Remote} = N \times (S + C_{\text{remote}})$$$$\text{Saving/worker} = C_{\text{office}} - C_{\text{remote}}$$How to Use
- Enter the number of workers and salary per worker.
- Enter the on-site and remote per-worker costs.
- Review the total costs and the savings.
FAQ
What is included in remote-work costs and on-site costs?
Remote costs typically cover home-internet and phone top-up, electricity and air-conditioning, meals at home and a fair share of rent/space used as a workspace. On-site costs cover commuting (MTR/bus/tunnel and parking), meals and coffee out, work attire and occasional childcare. Enter only the extra cost directly caused by the work mode, not your existing fixed living expenses.
How is the net difference calculated?
The calculator compares the total cost of each mode over the period you set. A positive net difference means remote work is cheaper; a negative one means on-site is cheaper. It reflects the pure cost gap and does not yet account for productivity, career or wellbeing factors.
Why enter salary and tax?
On-site roles sometimes carry allowances (transport, meal, attendance) and tax treatment may differ by work location. Entering salary and tax helps you see whether the take-home gap between the two modes is offset by the cost difference, giving a fuller financial picture.
Does the calculator consider productivity or career impact?
No. It focuses purely on the direct cost comparison. Productivity, promotion opportunities, collaboration quality and wellbeing are subjective and not quantified here. Use the cost result as one input alongside your own career and lifestyle judgement.
How should a Hong Kong employee use this result?
Use it to negotiate a remote-work allowance, decide whether to accept an on-site role, or assess the true value of a hybrid arrangement. For example, if on-site commuting and meals cost several thousand dollars a month more, that gap is real income erosion worth discussing with your employer.
Content review: Calculatorism Finance Team. Results are for reference only; please refer to the relevant authorities for the official figures.