See how much rent fits your income, or the income you need for a rent you want.
Quick answer
Using the common 30% rule, you can afford up to $1,500 a month in rent. If you already pay $500 a month on other debts, a 36% total debt limit lowers it to $1,300.
| Gross monthly income | Rent at 30% | Rent at 25% |
|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $750 | $625 |
| $3,500 | $1,050 | $875 |
| $5,000 | $1,500 | $1,250 |
| $7,500 | $2,250 | $1,875 |
| $10,000 | $3,000 | $2,500 |
These figures are computed with the same formulas as the Rent Affordability Calculator above. Change the inputs in the tool to see your own result.
The Rent Affordability Calculator estimates the most rent you can reasonably afford from your gross income. It applies the common rule of spending no more than 30 percent of gross income on rent (you can change the percentage), and if you enter your monthly debt payments it also checks a 36 percent limit on rent plus debts and lowers the answer when debts are the limit. It shows the money left after rent, a table of rent at other shares of income, and works in reverse: enter a rent and see the income you need.
Made for everyone. Typical uses:
For example, someone earning $60,000 a year gross ($5,000 a month) gets a recommended maximum rent of about $1,500 a month using the 30% guideline (5,000 × 0.30) — before factoring in existing debt payments, which would lower that recommended number further.
The 30% guideline is a general rule of thumb, not a personalized budget — it doesn't account for high-cost-of-living areas where 30% may be unrealistic, other debts unless entered, or how much you're already saving, so treat the result as a starting point rather than a hard ceiling or floor.
Accuracy: Formulas follow standard published methods and are checked against worked reference examples. Results are estimates based on the values you enter and do not replace advice from a qualified professional.
Expert Tip
In high cost-of-living cities, many renters end up spending well above 30% of income on rent. If that's your situation, focus on what's left over after rent for savings and debt payments (sometimes called the 50/30/20 approach) rather than treating 30% as a hard limit.
The most common guide to rent is to spend no more than 30 percent of your gross (before-tax) income on housing. Someone earning $60,000 a year has $5,000 of gross monthly income, so the guide suggests a maximum rent of $1,500. It is a rule of thumb that dates back decades and is used in housing policy, by landlords and by budgeting advice, but it is not a law and it does not fit everyone.
In expensive cities many households spend more than 30 percent because no cheaper option exists, and someone with high income and few costs can comfortably spend less than the guide suggests. Treat it as a starting point and a warning sign, not a target. If you sign a multi-year lease, the Inflation Calculator shows how much rent may rise if you expect yearly increases.
Your other monthly payments compete with rent. Lenders and many landlords look at the debt-to-income ratio, which adds housing and debt payments together and compares them with income. A common ceiling is 36 percent. If you earn $5,000 a month, that ceiling is $1,800 for rent and debts combined. With $400 of monthly debt payments, only $1,400 is left for rent, less than the $1,500 the 30 percent rule alone would allow. The calculator shows the lower of the two limits and explains which applied.
That is why it asks for your debt payments: car loans, student loans, credit card minimums and personal loans all count. Paying down a debt raises what you can comfortably afford, sometimes more effectively than a pay rise.
You may already have a specific home in mind. The lower section of the calculator turns a rent into the income you need: divide the rent by your rent share. A $1,800 rent at 30 percent needs $6,000 a month, or $72,000 a year, in gross income. Many landlords set their own screening rule instead, often asking for monthly income of two and a half to three times the rent. For a $1,800 rent, three times is $5,400 a month, or $64,800 a year.
If you do not meet the landlord's requirement, common solutions are adding a co-signer or guarantor, offering a larger deposit, showing savings, or finding a housemate. Sharing a home divides the rent, and the calculator can be used for each person's share.
Rent is only one line. After housing you still need to cover utilities, internet, food, transport, insurance, phone, debt payments, savings and something for enjoyment. A useful framework is to allocate roughly half of take-home pay to needs, thirty percent to wants and twenty percent to savings and debt repayment, and to check that your rent fits within the needs portion. Remember that the calculator uses gross income while you spend net income, so a rent of 30 percent of gross can be closer to 40 percent of take-home pay.
If you are weighing rent against a purchase, compare the whole monthly cost of owning, including tax, insurance and maintenance, with the rent. The Mortgage Calculator gives the full monthly payment of a home for a chosen price, down payment and rate. Buying usually needs a down payment and closing costs, and gives up flexibility, while renting has no repair risk and is easier to leave. Neither is always cheaper; the right answer depends on how long you will stay and the local market.
This is a budgeting guide based on gross income and standard ratios. It does not know your local market, your tax situation, your commute or your lifestyle, and it is not a lender's or landlord's decision. The calculation happens in your browser and nothing you enter is stored or sent. Use the numbers to start the conversation with yourself, then test them against a realistic monthly budget.
The 30% rule explained with real numbers, why a 36% debt limit can lower your budget, how to work backwards from a rent, and when the rule of thumb fails.
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