Free renter tool
Rent Affordability Calculator
Build a rent target around your actual monthly budget.
Use take-home income, existing commitments, savings goals, and expected housing extras to estimate the base rent that fits the assumptions you choose.
Your estimate
Rent affordability summary
How this rent affordability estimate works
The calculator creates two limits. First, it multiplies monthly take-home income by the housing percentage you selected. Second, it subtracts debt payments, essential non-housing expenses, and savings goals from income. The lower of those two amounts becomes the estimated total housing budget.
Expected utilities, parking, insurance, pet rent, and other housing extras are then subtracted to produce a base-rent target. This prevents a unit with many separate charges from appearing more affordable than it is.
Use the result as a comparison target
A rent estimate is most useful when comparing apartments consistently. Confirm which utilities are included, check every mandatory fee, and consider expenses that may change with the location, such as commuting or parking. You can enter the final apartment-specific numbers in the Apartment Cost Calculator.
This calculator does not predict landlord approval and does not account for taxes, credit requirements, local rules, emergencies, or every household priority. A lower rent may give you more room for irregular expenses and future changes.
