The cost-of-living squeeze is making transport emotionally heavier for women

Rising transport costs are making everyday movement feel heavier for women. Getting around is no longer just practical – it now shapes whether women can plan ahead, say yes spontaneously and feel in control of everyday life.

Our latest Think Stylist research, based on a survey of 400 women across the UK and deeper ethnographic insight from our Thinkfluencer panel, shows the cost-of-living squeeze is reshaping not just how women travel, but how free they feel to live.

People are multimodal in practice, but cars still anchor daily life 

Women are multimodal by necessity, mixing transport depending on cost, convenience and what the day demands. Walking (91%), trains (75%) and buses (60%) remain widely used, showing how hard women are working to make lower-cost options fit.

But flexibility has limits. Nearly half of respondents (45%) said the car was still their main mode of transport, underlining how often it remains the most reliable option for work, care and daily logistics.

This is less about car culture than practical dependence: women are adapting where they can, but many still have to drive even as the costs become harder to absorb.

“I rely on a car as I have to take my child to school and even though the school is walking distance it would take too long and I need to drive to be able to then get to work after.” 

Mobility is becoming essential, but emotionally expensive

Transport is becoming emotionally expensive as well as financially draining. For many women, every journey now comes with calculation: can I afford it, is it worth it and does it feel safe?

"It's sad to feel restricted but other people are facing much worse" 25-34

Among women with access to a car, almost a third (31%) described it as essential but financially stressful, while 22% said they actively try to avoid using it because of the cost. The issue is not rejection of driving – it is the strain of having to rely on it.

Mobility is increasingly available only on certain terms. The freedom to see people, make plans or travel on impulse is being replaced by financial calculation.

“I tend to walk more. If journey is less than three miles, I will set off earlier and walk rather than driving. I might get a lift back home if I bump into someone I know, especially if doing the supermarket shop. Alternatively, I will plan a shopping trip with a friend.” 

Rising transport costs are shrinking routines, reach and spontaneity

When transport gets more expensive, the impact goes far beyond commuting. It affects who women see, how easily they make plans and how big or small life feels.

That narrowing is already visible in everyday behaviour:

·       Almost a third of women are travelling less day to day and planning trips more carefully

·       Over 15% of women are seeing friends and family in other parts of the country less often and are trying to work from home more just to alleviate cost.

·       1 in 10 women say life feels smaller or more restricted and say no more often to social plans because of how they are going to get there and that their social life feels smaller because of it

“Travelling into London for work is now so expensive. At least £16 per day which very quickly adds up. Flexible working is now much more important to me.”

Financial pressures are also encouraging more hyper-local behaviour. As budgets tighten, women are leaning into forms of movement they can control, such as walking and running, and building routines, errands and social time closer to home. That makes everyday mobility feel less spontaneous, but also more intentional and more rooted in affordability. Walking remains the most widely used mode in the research and broader activity data suggests low-cost forms of movement continue to hold strong appeal as accessible habits in everyday life. 

"I batch activities together to save time and petrol" 35-44 

The same applies to ride-hailing: as fares rise, services like Uber are used less for convenience and more when safety or necessity make them worth the cost.

"It seems you have to be more strategic about any travelling more and more these days" 34-44

Leisure travel is where uncertainty and trade-offs become more visible 

Leisure travel brings these trade-offs into sharp focus. Travel should feel freeing, but rising costs are making trips harder to justify, organise and enjoy. Many are delaying plans, scaling back journeys or staying closer to home instead.

"UK rail fares are insane. Since my young person's railcard expired, I am visiting family much less" 25-34

Why it matters for brands

So, what can brands do? Respond to the emotional reality behind movement, not just the journey itself. Women are looking for reassurance, flexibility, value and support that recognises the strain built into ordinary decisions about getting around.

This matters because transport anxiety does not stay in the transport category. It shapes whether a woman makes the trip, shops in person or online, says yes to leisure, or sees a brand as worth the effort. The opportunity for brands is to reduce that mental load: clearer pricing, flexible delivery and collection, easy-to-reach locations, safer evening options, simpler journey information and offers that fit more local, lower-effort routines.

The brands that will resonate most are the ones that make life feel easier, not harder. In retail, that can mean flexible collection in convenient, well-lit locations. In hospitality and leisure, it can mean treating safety as part of the experience, with staff training and practical support that help women feel more in control. Across categories, the principle is the same: reduce friction, uncertainty and effort.

At Think Stylist, we track these cultural shifts as they happen, helping brands understand not just what women are doing, but what those behaviours reveal about pressure, participation and the changing shape of everyday life. Make sure you’re signed up to our insights newsletter, Muse, to get the latest thinking direct to your inbox every month.