A common guideline keeps rent near 30% of gross income, and all debt plus rent under 36%. See the lower, safer of the two for your budget.
A rent affordability calculator estimates a comfortable monthly rent from your income and existing debts. It applies two common guidelines, rent near 30% of gross income and total debt under 36%, and shows the lower, safer of the two.
A long-standing guideline keeps rent at or below 30% of gross monthly income, which is the same as landlords asking for income of about three times the rent. Staying under that line leaves room for savings, utilities, and the rest of life. In pricey markets many people spend more, but that raises the risk of falling short when other costs rise.
Rent does not exist in isolation. Car loans, credit cards, and student loans all draw on the same paycheck, so this tool also caps total debt plus rent at 36% of income and uses whichever limit is lower. Paying down other debt can therefore raise the rent you can comfortably afford as much as a raise would.
A common guideline is about 30% of gross income, and landlords often want income of roughly three times the rent. Your comfortable figure may be lower once savings and living costs are counted.
Landlords and the 30% rule are built around gross (pre-tax) income. Remember that your take-home pay is lower, so leave margin.
No. The figure is a ceiling, not a target. Spending below it frees money for saving, emergencies, and goals.
See the exact formula and a worked example on our methodology page.