Finance & Investment · Real Estate
Rent Affordability Calculator — How Much Rent Can I Afford?
Find how much rent you can afford from your income, after utilities, society maintenance, loan EMIs and other essentials. Compare the common rules side by side, check whether a flat you're considering is affordable or cost-burdened, and see the cash you need to move in — security deposit, brokerage and the first month's rent.
Your inputs
Quick start — try a typical case
₹ 1 lakh
The 30 % and 40× rules are usually quoted on gross income; 50/30/20 on take-home. Using take-home for all is the safer choice.
₹ 6 thousand
Electricity, water, gas, internet and maintenance charges — they're part of what housing costs you each month.
Monthly debt payments. Used by the 50/30/20 rule, and shown in the overall check.
Optional — checks a specific flat against your income. 0 to skip.
Your result Live
Rent You Can Afford
₹24,000 a month
Using the 30% rule, after ₹6,000 of utilities
- Housing Cost (rent + utilities)
- ₹30,000 · 30% of income
- Left Each Month After Rent, Utilities & EMIs
- ₹70,000
- Cash Needed to Move In
- ₹1,11,000 — deposit, brokerage, first month and moving
- Rent · 24%₹24,000
- Utilities · 6%₹6,000
- Left · 70%₹70,000
Affordable rent under each rule
3 rowsThese are rules of thumb, not limits. In a high-cost city you may need to spend more; if you're saving for a home, aim lower.
How this is calculated
30 % rule: rent = 0.30 × income − utilities · 50/30/20: rent = 0.50 × take-home − utilities − EMIs − other needs · 40× rule: rent = yearly income ÷ 40
- Cost burden
- Rent + utilities over 30 % of income is 'cost-burdened', over 50 % 'severely' (HUD)
The best-known guide is to keep housing — rent plus utilities — at or below 30 % of income; HUD calls households above that line cost-burdened, and above 50 % severely cost-burdened. The 50/30/20 budget gives half of take-home pay to all needs, so rent must fit alongside EMIs, groceries and commuting. Many landlords in the US instead ask for yearly income of at least 40 times the monthly rent.
Assumptions & sources
- Income, utilities and debt payments are steady monthly amounts.
- Move-in cash = deposit + brokerage + first month's rent + moving costs.
- 1Housing cost burden: households paying more than 30 % of income for housing (severe: more than 50 %) — US Department of Housing and Urban Development — HUD User
- 2Model Tenancy Act, 2021 — security deposit up to 2 months' rent for residential premises (Section 11) — Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India
Calculator ID HOME-RENT-AFFORD-001 · version 1.0.0
Common questions
How much rent can I afford on ₹1 lakh a month?
Under the 30 % guide, about ₹30,000 for rent and utilities together — so roughly ₹24,000 rent if utilities and maintenance are ₹6,000.
What is the 40× rent rule?
A US landlord screening rule: your yearly gross income should be at least 40 times the monthly rent. For $3,000 rent that's $120,000 a year.
How much security deposit can a landlord ask for in India?
The Model Tenancy Act, 2021 caps it at two months' rent for homes, but only states that have adopted the Act are bound by it; check your state's law and your agreement.