How much rent can you afford?
A widely used guideline for rent affordability is spending no more than 30% of your gross (pre-tax) monthly income on rent, sometimes called the “30% rule.” Depending on your other expenses, savings goals, and local cost of living, some people budget more conservatively (around 20%) or stretch further (up to 40%), especially in higher cost-of-living areas.
How this calculator works
Enter your gross monthly income, choose a target rent-to-income ratio, and enter any other recurring monthly debt payments (like a car loan or student loans). The calculator multiplies your income by the selected ratio to suggest a monthly rent budget, and shows how much income remains after rent and other debts are paid.
This is a general guideline, not a guarantee of loan or lease approval — landlords and lenders often use their own income requirements, commonly requiring rent to be at or below roughly one-third of gross income. This tool is for general planning and educational purposes only.