Finding a place you like is only half the decision. The other half is whether the rent fits your income, with room left for bills, food, transport, and savings.
This rent calculator gives you a clear monthly rent range from your gross income in seconds, showing the familiar guidelines side by side. For more money tools, browse our finance calculators hub.
Rent Calculator
Enter your gross income — before tax — to see how much rent you can afford under the common guidelines. The 30% level is the HUD cost-burden guideline, and 28% / 36% is the lender-style guideline many landlords and lenders use.
How much rent can you afford?
Guidelines explained: HUD treats housing as cost-burdened when it takes more than 30% of gross income. The 28/36 guideline is a lender-style rule — about 28% of gross income for housing costs and 36% for housing plus other debts. These are rules of thumb, not promises that a landlord will approve a lease.
What Is a Rent Calculator?
A rent calculator estimates how much monthly rent you can afford based on your gross income. Instead of picking a rent first and hoping your budget works, you start with what you earn and work backwards.
The answer is a range, not a single number. A lower percentage leaves more room for other costs and savings. A higher percentage may work in an expensive city, but leaves less margin if a bill rises.
It is a planning tool, not a landlord approval. Landlords also check credit, rental history, and debts, so use the result to shortlist homes you can realistically afford.
How Does a Rent Calculator Work?
The calculator first converts your income to a monthly figure, then applies a percentage guideline to that monthly income — simple maths built on two widely used rules of thumb.
The best-known rule is the 30% rule. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines housing as cost-burdened when it costs more than 30% of gross income.
The second guideline is the 28/36 guideline, a lender-style rule: about 28% of gross income for housing, and no more than about 36% for housing plus other debts combined. Here, 28% is the conservative rent and 36% is the higher end for rent alone.
The formulas are:
Monthly gross income = Annual gross income ÷ 12
Affordable rent = Monthly gross income × Guideline % ÷ 100
Income is your gross pay before tax and deductions. Period tells the calculator whether you entered a yearly or monthly amount — monthly income is used as entered. Guideline % is 28, 30, 36, or your own custom percentage.
How to Use the Rent Calculator
- Enter your gross income in dollars, before tax and deductions — not take-home pay.
- Choose the income period — per year (annual) or per month (monthly).
- Leave the custom percentage at 30, or change it to any value between 1 and 100.
- Click Calculate and read your monthly gross income.
- Compare the rent results at 28%, 30%, 36%, and your custom percentage, shown together.
- Use the level that fits your other costs, or click Reset to try a different income.
If you are not sure what your gross pay is, check a recent payslip or estimate it with our paycheck calculator first.
Worked Example
Suppose you earn $60,000 per year in gross income and keep the custom percentage at the default 30%.
Step 1 — Monthly income: $60,000 ÷ 12 = $5,000 per month gross.
Step 2 — Rent at 28%: $5,000 × 28% = $1,400 per month.
Step 3 — Rent at 30%: $5,000 × 30% = $1,500 per month.
Step 4 — Rent at 36%: $5,000 × 36% = $1,800 per month.
So on $60,000 a year: $1,400 at 28%, $1,500 at 30%, and $1,800 at 36%. Your custom result at 30% also gives $1,500.
Maximum Rent at 30% by Income
The table shows how the 30% guideline changes with income. Each row converts an annual salary to monthly gross income first, then takes 30% of that figure.
| Annual Gross Income | Monthly Gross Income | Max Rent at 30% |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $2,500 | $750 |
| $45,000 | $3,750 | $1,125 |
| $60,000 | $5,000 | $1,500 |
| $75,000 | $6,250 | $1,875 |
| $90,000 | $7,500 | $2,250 |
| $120,000 | $10,000 | $3,000 |
Use the table for a quick check, then run your exact income above. If you are comparing renting with buying, our mortgage calculator shows the monthly cost side of owning a home.
Important Points & Assumptions
This calculator uses gross income — pay before tax — because both guidelines are written for gross income. Mixing in net, or take-home, pay changes the meaning of the percentages.
The guidelines are rules of thumb, not landlord requirements. A landlord may accept a higher share with strong credit and low debts, or ask for a lower share in other cases.
The result covers rent only — not utilities, parking, insurance, moving costs, or a deposit — and it does not subtract other debts. If you carry a car payment or loan, the safer end is usually smarter. Test borrowing costs with our loan calculator.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is using take-home pay in a gross-income rule. Enter net pay and the 30% result will not match the guideline. Always enter gross income here.
Another mistake is forgetting utilities. Rent at 30% feels very different once electricity, water, internet, and heating are added, especially if they are not in the lease. Leave a buffer.
People also treat the highest result as a target. The 36% figure is an upper guideline, not a recommendation — choosing it without checking debts leaves little room when something goes wrong.
How to Interpret Your Results
Start with the 30% result as your anchor. If that rent is easy to find locally and your other costs are modest, you are comfortable. If even 28% is hard to find, that may mean sharing or a longer commute.
Look at what is left after rent. Subtract rent from monthly gross income, then picture tax, debts, utilities, food, and savings coming out of the remainder. If it feels tight on paper, it will feel tighter in real life.
Use the custom percentage to set a personal cap — try 25% to save aggressively, or 32–33% with no car and few debts. The right level still lets you pay every bill and grow an emergency fund.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much rent can I afford on $60,000 a year?
On $60,000 a year, your monthly gross income is $5,000. At 30%, that gives $1,500 per month. At 28% it is $1,400, and at 36% it is $1,800.
What is the 30% rule for rent?
The 30% rule says housing should stay at or below about 30% of gross income. HUD uses that level to define cost-burdened housing. It is a budgeting guideline, not a guarantee of approval.
Should I use gross or net income for rent?
Use gross income here, because the 30% and 28/36 guidelines are based on gross pay. Still check the result against your actual take-home budget before signing a lease.
What is the 28/36 guideline?
It is a lender-style guideline suggesting about 28% of gross income for housing and about 36% for housing plus other debts together. Here, 28% gives a conservative rent and 36% shows a higher stretch level.
Does affordable rent include utilities?
No. This calculator estimates rent only. Utilities, parking, insurance, and fees are extra unless your lease clearly includes them, so keep a separate buffer.
Can I afford rent above 30% of my income?
Sometimes, especially in expensive cities or if you have low debts and no car costs. But paying above 30% leaves less for savings and surprises, so test a custom percentage and check the full budget first.
References
For the official definition behind the 30% guideline, see the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which defines cost-burdened households as those paying more than 30% of income for housing.
Disclaimer: This calculator and article provide general information only and are not financial advice. Guidelines are rules of thumb and do not guarantee landlord approval or that a rent will fit your budget. Seek advice from a qualified financial professional for your own circumstances.