Rent Affordability Calculator: How Much Rent Can I Afford?
Enter your salary, monthly pay, or hourly wage to see the rent your income supports under the 30% rule, the landlord 3x rent rule, 2.5x, and a 50/30/20 budget. Free, instant, no signup.
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Budgeting for transportation too? Use the car affordability calculator.
Landlord or property manager? Use the rent-to-income calculator to see the income standard for a given rent.
How to figure out how much rent you can afford
Start with your gross monthly income: your pay before taxes and deductions. Divide a yearly salary by 12, or for hourly pay multiply your wage by weekly hours and 52, then divide by 12. Then apply one of the rules below. Each gives a slightly different answer, which is why the calculator shows all of them side by side along with a comfortable range.
The common rent rules
- The 30% rule. Spend no more than about 30% of gross monthly income on rent. On $5,000 a month, that is $1,500. It is the classic budgeting guideline and a reasonable default.
- The 3x rent rule. Many landlords look for gross monthly income of at least three times the rent. Flip it around and your max rent is income divided by 3, or about 33% of gross. On $5,000 a month, that is about $1,667.
- The 2.5x rule. Some landlords, especially in high-rent markets, use 2.5x instead. That allows rent up to 40% of gross income, about $2,000 on $5,000 a month. Just because a landlord accepts it does not mean it fits your budget.
- The 50/30/20 budget. Put 50% of take-home pay toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. Rent, utilities, groceries, insurance, and minimum debt payments all come out of the needs bucket, so the figure the calculator shows is a ceiling for rent, not a target.
How much should I spend on rent?
Aim for rent at or below 30% of your gross monthly income, and treat the 3x rule (about 33%) as the upper limit most landlords will accept. Spend less than that if you carry car, student loan, or credit card payments, live somewhere with high utility or commuting costs, or are still building an emergency fund.
If you would rather budget from take-home pay, a common target is no more than about 35% to 40% of what actually lands in your bank account. That works out close to the 30% of gross figure for most people, because taxes and deductions take roughly 20% to 25% of gross pay.
Using it as a rent budget calculator
The rent number is only part of what an apartment costs. Before you commit, budget for the costs that come with it:
- Utilities: electric, gas, water, trash, and internet can add $150 to $300 a month depending on the unit and what the landlord covers.
- Renters insurance: often required by the lease, usually $15 to $30 a month.
- Parking, pet rent, and amenity fees: these are monthly charges on top of the listed rent at many buildings.
- Move-in costs: a security deposit, first month's rent (sometimes prorated if you move in mid-month), application fees, and movers. Plan on two to three times the monthly rent up front.
A quick apartment affordability check: add those monthly extras to the rent and make sure the total still fits the 30% guideline, or lower your target rent to leave room. Sharing a place? Use the rent split calculator to divide it fairly, and the prorated rent calculator for a mid-month move-in.
How much rent can I afford by salary?
Quick reference figures with no monthly debts. The 3x and 2.5x columns are the most rent a landlord using that rule would typically accept.
| Yearly salary | Monthly gross | 30% rule | 3x rent rule | 2.5x rent rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $2,083 | $625 | $694 | $833 |
| $30,000 | $2,500 | $750 | $833 | $1,000 |
| $35,000 | $2,917 | $875 | $972 | $1,167 |
| $40,000 | $3,333 | $1,000 | $1,111 | $1,333 |
| $45,000 | $3,750 | $1,125 | $1,250 | $1,500 |
| $50,000 | $4,167 | $1,250 | $1,389 | $1,667 |
| $55,000 | $4,583 | $1,375 | $1,528 | $1,833 |
| $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,500 | $1,667 | $2,000 |
| $65,000 | $5,417 | $1,625 | $1,806 | $2,167 |
| $70,000 | $5,833 | $1,750 | $1,944 | $2,333 |
| $75,000 | $6,250 | $1,875 | $2,083 | $2,500 |
| $80,000 | $6,667 | $2,000 | $2,222 | $2,667 |
| $85,000 | $7,083 | $2,125 | $2,361 | $2,833 |
| $90,000 | $7,500 | $2,250 | $2,500 | $3,000 |
| $100,000 | $8,333 | $2,500 | $2,778 | $3,333 |
| $110,000 | $9,167 | $2,750 | $3,056 | $3,667 |
| $120,000 | $10,000 | $3,000 | $3,333 | $4,000 |
| $130,000 | $10,833 | $3,250 | $3,611 | $4,333 |
| $150,000 | $12,500 | $3,750 | $4,167 | $5,000 |
| $175,000 | $14,583 | $4,375 | $4,861 | $5,833 |
| $200,000 | $16,667 | $5,000 | $5,556 | $6,667 |
How much rent can I afford by hourly wage?
Assumes full-time work: 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, or 2,080 hours. Working fewer hours? Use the hourly option in the calculator above.
| Hourly wage | Monthly gross | 30% rule | 3x rent rule | 2.5x rent rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $12/hour | $2,080 | $624 | $693 | $832 |
| $13/hour | $2,253 | $676 | $751 | $901 |
| $14/hour | $2,427 | $728 | $809 | $971 |
| $15/hour | $2,600 | $780 | $867 | $1,040 |
| $16/hour | $2,773 | $832 | $924 | $1,109 |
| $17/hour | $2,947 | $884 | $982 | $1,179 |
| $18/hour | $3,120 | $936 | $1,040 | $1,248 |
| $19/hour | $3,293 | $988 | $1,098 | $1,317 |
| $20/hour | $3,467 | $1,040 | $1,156 | $1,387 |
| $21/hour | $3,640 | $1,092 | $1,213 | $1,456 |
| $22/hour | $3,813 | $1,144 | $1,271 | $1,525 |
| $23/hour | $3,987 | $1,196 | $1,329 | $1,595 |
| $24/hour | $4,160 | $1,248 | $1,387 | $1,664 |
| $25/hour | $4,333 | $1,300 | $1,444 | $1,733 |
| $26/hour | $4,507 | $1,352 | $1,502 | $1,803 |
| $28/hour | $4,853 | $1,456 | $1,618 | $1,941 |
| $30/hour | $5,200 | $1,560 | $1,733 | $2,080 |
| $32/hour | $5,547 | $1,664 | $1,849 | $2,219 |
| $35/hour | $6,067 | $1,820 | $2,022 | $2,427 |
| $40/hour | $6,933 | $2,080 | $2,311 | $2,773 |
| $45/hour | $7,800 | $2,340 | $2,600 | $3,120 |
| $50/hour | $8,667 | $2,600 | $2,889 | $3,467 |
How much do you need to make to afford your rent?
Working backward from a listing: the yearly income each rule calls for. Landlords in New York often state the 3x rule as the 40x rule (yearly income of 40 times the monthly rent), which is a bit stricter.
| Monthly rent | 3x rule | 30% rule | 40x rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $36,000/yr | $40,000/yr | $40,000/yr |
| $1,200 | $43,200/yr | $48,000/yr | $48,000/yr |
| $1,500 | $54,000/yr | $60,000/yr | $60,000/yr |
| $1,800 | $64,800/yr | $72,000/yr | $72,000/yr |
| $2,000 | $72,000/yr | $80,000/yr | $80,000/yr |
| $2,500 | $90,000/yr | $100,000/yr | $100,000/yr |
| $3,000 | $108,000/yr | $120,000/yr | $120,000/yr |
For any other rent, the rent-to-income calculator shows the income needed and your ratio. If you also carry car or student loan payments, check your debt-to-income ratio too.
Found a place? Be ready to show your income
Landlords often ask for proof of income with a rental application. If you are self-employed, paid in cash, or between pay stubs, that can be the slowest part of applying. Income Checker lets you connect your bank read-only and generates an estimated monthly income report from the deposits in the accounts you choose, which you can share with a landlord. See what counts as proof of income.
Frequently asked questions
How much rent can I afford?
A common starting point is 30% of your gross (pre-tax) monthly income. On a $60,000 salary that is $5,000 a month gross, so about $1,500 in rent. Many landlords use the 3x rent rule, which works out to about 33% of gross, or roughly $1,667 on the same income.
What is the 30% rule for rent?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that housing costs should take no more than about 30% of gross monthly income. It is a rule of thumb, not a requirement, and it does not account for debts, local costs, or savings goals.
How much should I spend on rent?
Aim for no more than about 30% of your gross monthly income, and spend less if you carry debt payments or live in a high-cost area. Many landlords accept rent up to about 33% of gross under the 3x rent rule, but that is a ceiling, not a target.
How much rent can I afford on $50,000 a year?
$50,000 a year is about $4,167 a month before taxes. The 30% rule puts your max rent at about $1,250, and a landlord using the 3x rule would accept up to about $1,389.
How much rent can I afford on $100,000 a year?
$100,000 a year is about $8,333 a month before taxes. That supports about $2,500 in rent under the 30% rule, or up to about $2,778 with a landlord using the 3x rule.
How much rent can I afford on an hourly wage?
Multiply your hourly wage by hours per week and by 52, then divide by 12 to get gross monthly income. At $25 an hour and 40 hours a week that is about $4,333 a month, so roughly $1,300 in rent under the 30% rule or $1,444 under the 3x rent rule.
Is the 30% rent rule based on gross income?
Yes. The 30% rule and the landlord 3x rule both use gross income, before taxes. Because take-home pay is lower, 30% of gross works out to roughly 37% to 40% of what actually lands in your account.
Can I afford $1,000 rent making $20 an hour?
Usually, if you work full time. $20 an hour for 40 hours a week is about $3,467 a month before taxes. The 30% rule puts your max rent at about $1,040, and a landlord using the 3x rule would accept up to about $1,156.
How much rent can I afford making $18 an hour?
Full time, $18 an hour is about $3,120 a month before taxes. That supports about $936 in rent under the 30% rule, or up to about $1,040 with a landlord using the 3x rule.
Can I afford $2,000 rent on a $70,000 salary?
It’s a stretch. $70,000 is about $5,833 a month gross, so the 30% rule suggests about $1,750 and the 3x rule tops out near $1,944. $2,000 is about 34% of gross. Landlords using 2.5x would accept it, but a 3x landlord would look for about $72,000.
Do landlords use gross or net income?
Most landlord income standards, like 3x rent, are applied to gross income before taxes. Your own budget is better judged against take-home pay, which is why the 50/30/20 view in this calculator uses an estimated take-home figure.
Should I include debt payments?
Yes, if you have them. Car loans, student loans, and credit card minimums reduce how much rent is comfortable. A common guideline is to keep rent plus debt payments under about 36% of gross income, which is how this calculator caps its comfortable range.
What if my income is below 3x the rent?
The 3x standard is a convention, not a law. Many landlords accept 2.5x, and some consider a co-signer or guarantor, a larger deposit, savings, or a strong rental history. Showing clear documentation of your income can also help a landlord review your application.
How do I use a rent budget calculator?
Enter your gross income the way you are paid (yearly, monthly, or hourly) and any monthly debt payments. The calculator shows your maximum rent under the common rules and a comfortable range. Then subtract expected utilities, renters insurance, and fees from that range to get the rent to actually search for.
What else should an apartment affordability check include?
Beyond rent, include utilities, internet, renters insurance, parking or pet fees, and commuting costs, plus up-front move-in costs like the security deposit and first month. A place with lower rent but high utilities or a long commute can cost more overall.
This calculator provides illustrative, informational budgeting figures only. It does not make or predict eligibility decisions. Landlords set their own screening standards, subject to fair housing and source-of-income laws.