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Rent Affordability Calculator

Work out how much rent you can afford using the 30% rule, the landlord 3× income test and a debt-adjusted view, plus the income a target rent needs.

$6,000
Gross monthly income
$1,800
30% of income
$2,000
Landlord 3× rule
$1,680
Recommended maximum rent

Three ways to look at it

TestBasisAffordable rent
Rent-to-income rule30% of $6,000$1,800
Landlord screening ruleincome ÷ 3$2,000
After other debts30% of $5,600$1,680

Checking $1,800 a month

That rent is $120 above your recommended maximum of $1,680.

It works out to 30.0% of your gross income, leaving $3,800 a month after rent and your other debt payments.

$6,000
Monthly income needed
$72,000
Annual income needed
$5,400
Income to pass 3× screening

The 30% rule and the 3× income screening rule are widely used conventions, not laws — landlords and agencies set their own thresholds, and both are editable here. High-cost cities routinely exceed 30%. Utilities, renters' insurance, deposits and parking are not included. Estimates only, not financial advice.

What is the Rent Affordability Calculator?

The ByteTools Rent Affordability Calculator answers the question three different ways, because that is how it actually gets decided.

  • Three affordability tests: ratio rule, landlord multiple and debt-adjusted
  • Recommended maximum rent takes the most conservative of the three
  • Reverse mode shows the monthly and annual income a target rent needs
  • Reports what is left over each month after rent and debts
  • Both the ratio and income multiple are editable conventions, not fixed rules
  • Private in-browser math; estimates only, not advice

How to use the Rent Affordability Calculator

  1. 1

    Choose whether you are entering income per year or per month, then type your gross income.

  2. 2

    Set the rent-to-income ratio and the landlord income multiple if yours differ from the defaults.

  3. 3

    Enter your other monthly debt payments such as loans, cards and car payments.

  4. 4

    Read the three affordable-rent figures and the recommended maximum, which is the lowest of them.

  5. 5

    Enter a rent you are considering to see if it passes, and the income it would require.

About the Rent Affordability Calculator

The ByteTools Rent Affordability Calculator answers the question three different ways, because that is how it actually gets decided. The classic rent-to-income rule takes a percentage of your gross income, defaulting to 30%. The landlord screening rule divides your income by a multiple, usually three. And a debt-adjusted view subtracts your existing monthly debt payments first, which is the one that most reflects what you can genuinely live on.

It then works in reverse. Enter a rent you are considering and the tool tells you whether it fits, what percentage of your gross income it takes, how much is left each month after rent and debts, and the income you would need to pass both the ratio rule and the landlord's screening test.

Both the ratio and the income multiple are editable, because these are widely used conventions rather than laws and high-cost cities routinely break them. Every figure is calculated locally in your browser and nothing is stored. Estimates only, not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

How much rent can I afford on my salary?

The common starting point is 30% of your gross income, so someone earning $72,000 a year would target about $1,800 a month. This calculator also checks the landlord's income multiple and a debt-adjusted figure, then recommends the lowest of the three as your safe maximum.

What is the 30% rule for rent?

It is the guideline that housing should take no more than 30% of gross income, originating from US housing policy definitions of cost burden. It is a rule of thumb, not a legal limit, and in expensive cities many renters exceed it — which is why the percentage is editable here.

Why do landlords want you to earn 3 times the rent?

It is a quick screening filter that roughly matches the 30% rule from the other direction: if rent is a third of gross income, income is three times rent. Some landlords use 2.5× and some use 3.5× or more, so set the multiple to whatever the listing states.

Should rent be based on gross or net income?

Landlords almost always screen on gross income, so that is what this tool uses. For your own budgeting, the debt-adjusted figure is more realistic — and remember that tax, utilities, renters' insurance and commuting all come out of the same paycheck.

What income do I need to afford a specific rent?

Divide the rent by your target ratio, or multiply it by the landlord's income multiple, and take the larger. Enter the rent you are considering and this calculator shows both the monthly and annual income figures directly.

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