Financial

Rent Calculator

Estimate affordable rent based on income.

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Inputs

Adjust the assumptions to match your scenario. Results update instantly.

Results

Primary outputs and comparison insights are built from the current inputs.

Affordable rent

$1,500.00

Maximum monthly rent within your budget.

Total housing cost

$1,650.00

Rent plus utilities per month.

Annual rent

$18,000.00

Yearly rent payments.

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How this calculator works

The Rent Calculator helps you determine how much rent you can afford based on your income and the standard 30% guideline. Enter monthly income, rent % of income, and monthly utilities to estimate affordable rent, total housing cost, and annual rent. The calculator updates instantly and adds a comparison table plus chart so you can test the sensitivity of the result before you use it in a decision.

Quick guide

Jump straight to the section you need, then return to the calculator.

Inputs

  • Gross monthly income before taxes.
  • Percentage of income allocated to rent.
  • Estimated monthly utility costs.

Outputs

  • Maximum monthly rent within your budget.
  • Rent plus utilities per month.
  • Yearly rent payments.

Assumptions

  • Income is gross monthly pay.
  • Utilities are estimated separately.

Tips

  • Include renters insurance in your housing budget.
  • Consider commute costs as part of the total housing decision.

Formula guide

Use these formulas to audit the output or explain it to someone else.

2 formulas

Max Rent = Monthly Income × Rent%
Total Housing = Rent + Utilities

Usage examples

Review a ready-made scenario, copy it, then tweak inputs to match your case.

Example

3 inputs3 outputs

City apartment budget

Inputs

  • Example input Monthly income: $6,500.00
  • Example input Rent % of income: 28%
  • Example input Monthly utilities: $175.00

Outputs

  • Example result Affordable rent: $1,820.00
  • Example result Total housing cost: $1,995.00
  • Example result Annual rent: $21,840.00

In expensive cities, keeping rent under 30% may require roommates or a longer commute.

Rent by income percentage

4 of 4 rows
Rent % of incomeAffordable rentTotal housing cost
20%$1,000.00$1,150.00
25%$1,250.00$1,400.00
30%$1,500.00$1,650.00
35%$1,750.00$1,900.00

Financial advisors recommend keeping rent at or below 30% of gross income.

Affordable rent range

Highest: 35% ($1,750.00)Lowest: 20% ($1,000.00)
Rent % of incomeAffordable rent

Focus point

20%

$1,000.00

Position

#1 of 4

Original order

Share of total

18.18%

Total: $5,500.00

PositiveNegative

Financial advisors recommend keeping rent at or below 30% of gross income.

References

  • HUD housing cost guidelines
  • Rent affordability benchmarks

FAQ

Common questions

What does the Rent Calculator do?

The Rent Calculator helps you determine how much rent you can afford based on your income and the standard 30% guideline. Enter monthly income, rent % of income, and monthly utilities to estimate affordable rent, total housing cost, and annual rent. The calculator updates instantly and adds a comparison table plus chart so you can test the sensitivity of the result before you use it in a decision. It is part of our financial toolkit.

What inputs do I need?

Typical inputs include Gross monthly income before taxes., Percentage of income allocated to rent., Estimated monthly utility costs..

How are the results calculated?

We follow the formulas and assumptions outlined in the "How this calculator works" section. You will see outputs like Maximum monthly rent within your budget., Rent plus utilities per month., Yearly rent payments..

Can I share or download the results?

Use the Copy link or Print buttons to share your results. If a table or chart appears, you can download the data as CSV.

Is my data stored?

No. Calculations run in your browser and we do not store your inputs.