How much do Instacart drivers make after expenses?
Gross trip pay overstates take-home. WillDrivingPay estimates Instacart net pay after utilization, fuel or energy, wear, insurance, phone, extras, and tax set-asides. As of 2026-08-24, among metros we cover the highest typical net is about $5.72/hr in Boston; a mid-pack metro like Cheyenne is about $5.10/hr (25 hrs/week, compact gas car). Educational estimates—not guaranteed pay.
Typical take-home by city
| City | Typical | Optimistic | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, Massachusetts | $5.72 | $9.83 | $4.16 |
| Nashville, Tennessee | $5.63 | $9.73 | $3.95 |
| Seattle, Washington | $5.55 | $10.39 | $3.87 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $5.28 | $9.57 | $3.71 |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | $5.25 | $8.95 | $3.67 |
| New York, New York | $5.23 | $10.59 | $3.68 |
| Anchorage, Alaska | $5.17 | $9.16 | $3.49 |
| Raleigh, North Carolina | $5.14 | $8.77 | $3.56 |
| Honolulu, Hawaii | $5.11 | $9.07 | $3.58 |
| Dallas, Texas | $5.11 | $9.92 | $3.43 |
| Cheyenne, Wyoming | $5.10 | $9.00 | $3.42 |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $5.02 | $9.34 | $3.41 |
| San Jose, California | $4.99 | $9.77 | $3.45 |
| Columbus, Ohio | $4.95 | $8.69 | $3.33 |
| Miami, Florida | $4.92 | $10.33 | $3.24 |
| Houston, Texas | $4.90 | $9.74 | $3.22 |
| Phoenix, Arizona | $4.89 | $9.13 | $3.27 |
| Nashua, New Hampshire | $4.87 | $8.54 | $3.19 |
| Evansville, Indiana | $4.83 | $8.79 | $3.22 |
| Madison, Wisconsin | $4.83 | $8.51 | $3.25 |
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