# Rent Calculator

> Estimate an affordable monthly rent from your gross income and existing debt payments, using rent-to-income and total-debt limits you can adjust.

Category: Real estate · Applies to: Worldwide · Last updated: 2026-10-29
Interactive calculator: https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/rent-calculator

Affordable rent is usually judged two ways: rent as a share of income, and rent plus other debt payments as a share of income. The lower of the two is your limit.

Also called: Rent affordability calculator, Apartment affordability calculator.

## Inputs
- Gross income (before tax) (default 60000)
- Income is per (options: Year, Month; default year)
- Other monthly debt payments (default 400; optional)
- Maximum rent share of income (unit %; default 30)
- Maximum rent + debts share of income (unit %; default 36)
- Rent you are looking at (optional) (default 2000; optional)
- Currency

## Results
- Affordable monthly rent
- Limit from rent share of income
- Limit after other debts
- What limits you
- Affordable rent per year
- Yearly income needed for the rent you entered

## Formula

```
Monthly income M = yearly income ÷ 12;  Rent limit = min(M × Rent%, M × Debt% − Debts);  Income needed = 12 × max(Rent ÷ Rent%, (Rent + Debts) ÷ Debt%)
```

Where:
- M: gross monthly income
- Rent%: maximum rent as a share of income
- Debt%: maximum rent plus debt payments as a share of income
- Debts: other monthly debt payments

## Worked example
1. Monthly income = 60,000 ÷ 12 = 5,000.
2. Rent limit = 5,000 × 30% = 1,500.
3. Debt limit = 5,000 × 36% − 400 = 1,400, which is lower, so 1,400 is affordable.
4. For 2,000 rent: 2,000 ÷ 0.30 = 6,667 and 2,400 ÷ 0.36 = 6,667 a month, or 80,000 a year.

**Result:** On $60,000 a year with $400 of monthly debt payments, rent up to about $1,400 a month fits both rules.

## What the result means

Treat the result as a ceiling, not a target. If your existing debts are the limiting factor, paying one off raises what you can afford more than a pay rise of the same size would. Many landlords also run their own income checks, so ask what they require.

## Assumptions and limits
- Income is gross (before tax).
- The percentages are rules of thumb you can change, not legal or lender limits.
- Utilities, insurance, deposits and moving costs are not included.
- High-cost cities often push renters above 30%; your own budget is the better guide.

## Questions

### What is the 30% rule?

A long-standing budgeting guideline that rent should take no more than 30% of gross income. It is a rough guide, not a rule set by any authority.

### Should I use gross or take-home pay?

The usual rules use gross income. If you budget from take-home pay, enter your monthly take-home figure and raise the percentages to suit.

## Related calculators
- [Savings Goal Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/savings-goal-calculator)
- [Percentage Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/percentage-calculator)
- [Debt Payoff Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/debt-payoff-calculator)

_This calculator gives estimates for planning. It is not financial advice, and lenders’ actual terms, fees and rounding may differ._

Source: GM¹X CalcVerse — https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/rent-calculator