How Much Rent Can I Afford?
See how much rent you can afford. We apply the 30%-of-income rule and show the 3×-monthly-income figure most landlords screen for.
How you compare to other people
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Learn moreThe 30% rule
A long-standing guideline is to keep rent at or below 30% of gross monthly income; the government defines households paying more than 30% on housing as “cost-burdened.” Separately, many landlords require income of at least 3× the monthly rent to qualify. In expensive metros these targets are often exceeded — treat them as guardrails, not hard limits.
How it’s calculated & sources
Affordable rent = gross monthly income × 30%. Landlord threshold = income ÷ 3. Your ratio = rent ÷ income; over 30% is cost-burdened, over 50% is severely burdened. If you enter net (after-tax) income, we gross it up (÷ 0.75) to estimate the debt-to-income figure landlords actually use. Split rent = rent ÷ number of roommates. The 50/30/20 needs budget = gross income × 50%, a common ceiling for rent plus other essentials.
Benchmark: the 30%-of-income affordability rule (U.S. HUD cost-burden definition); the common landlord 3×-income requirement.
Results update as you type and are general estimates, not personalized advice. Verify with a professional.
Worked example
On $5,000/month, the 30% rule points to about $1,500 rent, and landlords would want income of 3× the rent. A $1,600 rent is 32% of income — slightly stretched.
Frequently asked questions
Gross or net income?
The 30% rule and landlord 3× screens both use gross (pre-tax) income.
Is 30% realistic in big cities?
Often not — many renters in high-cost metros pay 40–50%. Trim other spending and treat 30% as a goal.
Should I include utilities?
A stricter version caps rent + utilities at 30%. If utilities are not included in rent, aim a bit below the 30% figure.
What is the 50/30/20 rule?
A budgeting split: 50% of income to needs (including rent), 30% to wants, 20% to savings/debt payoff. Rent alone at 30% still fits inside the 50% needs bucket.
How do roommates change the math?
Split rent divides the total by the number of people, but each renter’s own income is what a landlord screens — your individual share still needs to clear the 3× threshold on your own income (or with a qualifying co-signer).