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Rent Calculator

Estimate how much rent you can afford from your gross monthly income.

Result

Recommended rent (30%)
$1,500.00
Conservative (25%)
$1,250.00
Moderate (28%)
$1,400.00
Stretch (35%)
$1,750.00
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Affordable rent by guideline

Affordable rent by guideline$2,000.00$1,500.00$1,000.00$500.00$0.0025%28%30%35%

The 30 percent rule, and the range around it

A long-standing rule of thumb says housing should take no more than about 30 percent of your gross monthly income. The idea is to leave enough of your pay for everything else — food, transport, debt, and saving — so a single large expense does not crowd out the rest of your life.

Thirty percent is a guideline, not a law, so this calculator shows a range rather than one number. A conservative 25 percent leaves the most breathing room, 28 percent is a middle ground, 30 percent is the classic target, and a 35 percent stretch is the upper limit some people accept in expensive cities. Where you land within the range is a personal trade-off between location and financial slack.

Reading the figures

Each figure is simply your gross monthly income multiplied by the corresponding percentage, giving the most you might reasonably spend on rent at that comfort level.

The chart lines the tiers up side by side so you can see how much extra a higher percentage really buys — and how much more of your income it commits. Aiming for the lower end frees up cash for savings, emergencies, and goals beyond housing.

Gross versus take-home, and other costs

The traditional rule uses gross (pre-tax) income, which is what landlords and lenders typically screen against. But you pay rent out of take-home pay, so a few adjustments make the estimate more realistic:

  • If you want a safer cushion, apply the percentage to net (after-tax) income instead, or stick to the 25 percent tier.
  • Remember rent is rarely the whole housing cost — add utilities, renters insurance, parking, and any fees.
  • High debt payments or a variable income argue for the conservative end of the range.
  • This is a budgeting guideline, not financial advice; your own circumstances should drive the final choice.

Formula

recommended rent = grossMonthlyIncome × 0.30

Frequently asked questions

Should rent be based on gross or net income?
The 30% rule traditionally uses gross (pre-tax) income. If you prefer a safer cushion, base it on take-home pay or use the 25% figure.