Rent affordability calculator
A rent checked against gross income and the debt payments you already make.
Gross pay in a typical month, before taxes and deductions.
Car, student loans, credit cards, and personal loans. Leave this rent out.
Rent to stay under
$1,200.00
Other debts leave $1,200.00 under a 36% cap, which is below the 30% guideline of $1,500.00.
- 25% of gross
- $1,250.00
- 30% of gross
- $1,500.00
- Room left at 36%
- $1,200.00
- Other debt payments
- $600.00
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Start free 14-day trialHow this number is calculated
Both screens use gross monthly income, which is pay before taxes. A common guideline keeps rent at or under 30% of that income. A common lending screen keeps rent plus other monthly debt payments at or under 36%. The figure we lead with is the lower of the two. A 25% figure is there for a tighter budget.
Utilities, parking, and renters insurance are not included. Take-home pay is smaller than gross pay, so a rent at 30% of gross can use more than 30% of the money that reaches your account.
Common questions
Is the 30% guideline based on gross or take-home pay?
Gross, the amount before taxes. Landlords commonly use that. Take-home pay is smaller, so a rent at 30% of gross can feel tighter than 30% of what lands in your account.
What is the 36% limit?
A debt-to-income screen used in lending. Rent plus other monthly debt payments — car, student loans, credit cards, personal loans — stays at or under 36% of gross monthly income. Large payments on those debts leave less room for rent than the 30% guideline alone.
Does this include utilities?
No. The result is the rent itself. Utilities, parking, and renters insurance sit on top, so leave room for them in the rest of the budget.
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This is an estimate for planning, not financial, tax, or lending advice. Nothing you type is saved. Ampluent forecasts the cash in a household day by day from paychecks, bills, and cards. See Ampluent