Real Estate

Rent Affordability Calculator

How much rent you can realistically afford.

Enter your values

Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed.

Results
Maximum monthly rent
$1,800.00
Conservative target (after debts)
$1,575.00
Income landlords usually require
$72,000.00 per year
Rent-to-income ratio at max
30%
Left for everything else
$3,750.00

Working

  1. 1Max rent = ($72,000.00 ÷ 12) × 30% = $1,800.00

Quick answer

The standard guideline caps rent at 30% of gross income, and most landlords want annual income of at least 40× the monthly rent.

Max rent = gross monthly income × 0.30

How to use the Rent Affordability Calculator

  1. 1Enter your gross annual income before tax.
  2. 2Add your monthly debt payments.
  3. 3Adjust the percentage if you want to be stricter.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 30% rule outdated?

In high-cost cities many renters pay 40–50%, but above 30% you're formally 'rent burdened' and saving becomes very hard.

Do landlords use gross or net income?

Almost always gross — typically requiring 40× the monthly rent in annual gross income.