I drive approximately 3 hours to my base. It's a lot of miles but mostly it's not too bad. So I don't live in base but I'm not a true commuter either.

That said, I do have costs associated with being a commuter, like several hotels per month plus the cost of driving, which is not insignificant. I estimate my commute probably costs me $500/month in hotels, gas, food, car wear and tear, etc.