Parking Meter Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the parking meter calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

Formulas Used

Parking Time

time_minutes = amount_inserted / rate_per_hour * 60

Parking Time (hours)

time_hours = amount_inserted / rate_per_hour

Cost per Minute

cost_per_minute = rate_per_hour / 60

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
rate_per_hourMeter Rate(USD/hr)2.5
amount_insertedAmount Inserted(USD)5

How It Works

Parking Meter Time Calculation

Knowing how much time your coins buy helps avoid parking tickets, which typically cost $35-$75 or more.

Formula

Time (minutes) = Amount Inserted / Rate per Hour x 60

Metered parking rates in US cities typically range from $1-$6 per hour, with downtown areas and event venues at the higher end.

Worked Example

Inserting $5.00 at a $2.50/hour meter.

rate_per_hour = 2.5amount_inserted = 5
  1. 01Time = $5.00 / $2.50 x 60 = 120 minutes
  2. 02That is 2.0 hours of parking
  3. 03Cost per minute = $2.50 / 60 = $0.042

Ready to run the numbers?

Open Parking Meter Calculator