Rent affordability calculator

Leftover-money cap = take-home − savings − debt minimums − other essentials − utilities. The 30% rule is a landlord screen, not a budget. Primer: how much rent. Own vs lease: rent vs buy.

Quick answer: This calculator compares a leftover-money rent cap with 30% of take-home. You type take-home, savings, debt, essentials, and utilities. The 30% line is a rule of thumb, not a landlord's underwriting of gross pay.

Monthly take-home Savings rate % Debt minimums Other essentials (food, insurance, transit) Utilities (if not in rent)

Rent cap

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Take-home is after tax and benefits, not gross. A 28/36 DTI screen on a mortgage is a different test — DTI calculator. Stay-horizon own vs rent is All Access: 12-step playbook. Landlord 30% is of gross at many doors; this page uses take-home so you do not double-count FICA.

What this means for you

What this means for you: the leftover cap is what remains after the savings and bills you typed. The 30% line ignores those bills, so it can look roomier than the leftover cap. Neither number is a lease approval.

How to use this calculator

Open the Rent affordability calculator and keep the sample numbers or replace them with your own. The result updates as you type.
Read the headline figure first, then the breakdown or chart under it.
Use Copy share link if you want those inputs in the URL. The page is an educational estimate, not a filing, approval, or recommendation.

FAQ

Is 30% of income a rule?

It is a common rule of thumb. This page applies it to take-home, not gross, so FICA is not counted twice.

Which number should I look at first?

The leftover cap, because it already subtracts the savings, debt, and essentials you typed. Then compare it with 30%.

Does this include renter's insurance?

Only if you put that cost in the fields the page gives you. It does not invent a premium.

Educational, not financial advice. Page updated October 24, 2026 — no tax, limit, or rate figure was changed in this review.