The statistics don't lie, but it's still hard to believe how many hours and dollars we spend on commuting to and from work each day.

Traffic Jam
Aleksandra Glustsenko, ThinkStock
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According to a new survey commissioned by the Citi ThankYou Premier card, consumers are spending approximately $2,600 per year, and 200 hours, on their daily commute.

In the New York City area, including parts of New Jersey, even more money and time is headed out the door. The total annual cost is about $3,120 and 316 hours, the report found.

An overwhelming majority in the area, 73 percent, said commuting costs have increased over the last five years.

Tracy Noble, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said commute times vary drastically depending on where one lives in New Jersey, but in any case, Garden State drivers are luckier than residents of other states when it comes to gas prices.

On Monday, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in New Jersey was $2.62, compared to Delaware's $2.74, Pennsylvania's $2.90 and New York's $2.96.

"You will see lines at the rest areas on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway with a lot of out-of-state motorists because they're taking advantage of our cheaper prices," Noble said.

Nearly 80 percent of consumers in the study said they spend most of their commuting money on gas, followed by public transportation and tolls.

To alleviate some stress for working motorists, the Turnpike features High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes (HOV), open to vehicles with two or more occupants. Marked with white diamonds, the lanes are usually in effect at times when the most congestion is expected.

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