Current for 2026•As of: July 2026

Home Office Calculator 2026 Remote Work Savings.

Is home office worth it? Calculate costs & savings – €6/day allowance, commuting savings, for employees & employers

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0 days5 days
0 km100 km

Your home office costs

1,000 EUR15,000 EUR
0 EUR/month100 EUR/month
0 EUR/month100 EUR/month
0 EUR/month100 EUR/month
0 EUR/year3,000 EUR/year
14 %45 %
0 EUR/month200 EUR/month

Annual net effect

Employee

+€1,765.05

92 home office days/year

Employer

+€820.00

Net effect p.a.

Home office share40%
138 office days92 home office days

Your balance in detail

Home office allowance+€552.00
Commuting cost savings+€1,380.00
Employer allowance+€600.00
Tax savings+€757.05
Internet costs-€192.00
Extra electricity costs-€300.00
Extra heating costs-€180.00
Equipment-€300.00
Net effect+€1,765.05

Time saved by commuting less

115 hours/year

That's roughly 14 working days

Scenario comparison

Full-time office

+€764.75

0 days/year

2 days/week

+€1,765.05

92 days/year

Full-time home office

+€3,144.24

210 days/year

Legal basis 2026:

  • Home office allowance: EUR 6/day, max. EUR 1,260/year
  • Home office room: full deduction with exclusive business use
  • Commuting allowance: EUR 0.30/km (from km 21: EUR 0.38)

Important note

These calculations are for non-binding information only and do not replace professional tax advice. All information without guarantee. Learn more

Sources & calculation basis

Our calculations are based on the following official sources (as of: July 2026):

Related guides

Salary Optimization

Home Office: Costs and Savings in 2026

Understanding the financial impact of remote work

Working from home has become the norm for many employees since the pandemic. But is remote work actually worth it financially? Our calculator shows you the real costs and savings – from both the employee and employer perspective.

While employees can benefit from eliminated commuting costs and the home office allowance, employers save mainly on office space and overhead costs. At the same time, new costs arise, such as higher home energy costs or IT equipment.

Home Office Allowance 2026

€6 per day
Allowance for every day you work exclusively from home - no need to prove individual costs
Max. €1,260 per year
Cap at 210 days - even if you work more home office days per year
No separate room required
The allowance also applies if you work at the kitchen table or in the living room
Income-related expenses
Automatically deducted from your tax liability - together with other income-related expenses above €1,230

Separate Home Office

Alternative to the allowance with your own home office: Anyone who uses a separated room (not a walk-through room) exclusively for work can instead deduct the proportional costs (rent, utilities, electricity) as income-related expenses.

Calculation example: With 100 m² of living space, a 15 m² home office and €1,200 warm rent, you can deduct €180/month (15%) = €2,160/year - significantly more than the maximum allowance of €1,260.

Important: The home office must be used almost exclusively for work. Private use of more than 10% can jeopardize recognition.

Advantages for employees

  1. Tax deductibility: Claim the home office allowance (€6/day) or proportional home office costs as income-related expenses
  2. Savings on commuting costs: With a 40 km one-way commute, you save around €15-25 daily on fuel, wear or public transport costs
  3. Time savings: On average 1-2 hours of commuting time per day - that is up to 500 hours of free time per year
  4. Better work-life balance: More flexible working hours, more time for family and hobbies, less stress from commuting
  5. Home office allowance from employer: Many employers voluntarily pay €50-100 per month to cover electricity and heating costs

Advantages for employers

  1. Savings on office space: Desk-sharing models let you reduce required office space by 30-50% - at rents of €15-25/m²/month, this results in significant savings
  2. Lower overhead costs: Less electricity, heating, cleaning, consumables - typical savings: €2,000-5,000 per employee/year
  3. Higher employee satisfaction: Studies show 80% of employees want flexible home office arrangements - this boosts motivation and reduces turnover
  4. Larger pool of applicants: Location-independent recruiting gives you access to talent across the whole country, not just in metropolitan areas
  5. Fewer sick days: Home office reduces the risk of infection in the office and allows productive work even with mild colds

What does home office cost?

Typical costs for employees: The biggest cost factors are higher electricity and heating costs (approx. €20-50/month) as well as the purchase of ergonomic work equipment such as a desk, office chair and second monitor (one-time €500-1,500).

What can employers cover? Many companies provide IT equipment (laptop, monitor, headset), pay monthly home office allowances or cover the cost of ergonomic furniture.

Cost factors at a glance

Energy costs
Additional heating and electricity: approx. €20-50/month depending on living space and usage
Ergonomic equipment
Desk, office chair, monitor, keyboard: one-time €500-1,500
IT & communication
Higher-tier internet connection, VPN software: approx. €10-30/month extra
Meals
Coffee, snacks, lunch at home instead of the canteen: variable, often even cheaper

Frequently asked questions about home office and remote work

Everything important about costs, taxes and savings

The home office allowance is €6 per working day on which you work exclusively from home. A maximum of 210 days per year can be deducted, which corresponds to a maximum allowance of €1,260. The allowance counts as income-related expenses and - provided your total income-related expenses exceed the employee lump sum of €1,230 - directly reduces your tax burden.

Yes. The €6/day home office allowance also applies without a separated room, e.g. at the kitchen table or in the living room. The only requirement: you must have worked exclusively from home that day.

It depends on your situation. With a 15 m² home office and €1,200 warm rent for 100 m² of living space, you can deduct €180/month = €2,160/year - more than the maximum allowance of €1,260. Requirement: the room must be used almost exclusively for work.

For employees: home office allowance, saved commuting costs (fuel, wear, public transport), lower meal costs as well as any additional costs (electricity, heating approx. €20-50/month). For employers: savings on office space (€15-25/m²/month), overhead costs and cleaning. Our calculator takes all of these factors into account.

There is no legal obligation. However, many companies voluntarily pay €50-100 per month to cover electricity and heating costs. Under certain conditions, this payment can be tax-free as reimbursement of expenses or a benefit in kind.

Rule of thumb: one-way commute (km) × 2 × fuel cost per km (approx. €0.15-0.25 including wear) × home office days. With a 30 km one-way commute and 100 home office days per year, that's around €900-1,500 in saved travel costs. Add to that the time saved (an average of 45 min/day).

According to the ifo Institute 2025, office employees in Germany work an average of 1.6 days per week from home, i.e. around 80 days per year. In IT professions, it's often 3-4 days per week. The home office allowance is capped at 210 days/year.
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