How much of my income should go to rent?

A common rule of thumb is 30% of income or less. Many landlords screen by asking for gross (before-tax) income of about three times the monthly rent. This calculator uses take-home pay, which is stricter, because take-home is what you actually spend.

What is the 50/30/20 rule?

A simple budget guideline: about 50% of take-home pay for needs (housing, food, transport, insurance, minimum debt payments), 30% for wants, and 20% for savings and extra debt payments. It is a starting point, not a law; in expensive cities needs often run higher.

How much money do I need to move into an apartment?

Usually the security deposit (often one month of rent), the first month of rent, application fees, and the cost of moving and setting up utilities. Some landlords also ask for last month up front. The move-in estimate adds those up with numbers you can change.

Is this financial advice?

No. It is arithmetic on the numbers you type, plus common rules of thumb. For advice on your situation, talk to a certified financial planner or a nonprofit credit counselor.

Free tool

First apartment budget calculator

Type your monthly take-home pay and bills. See how much of your pay rent takes, how you compare with the 50/30/20 guideline, and what moving in will cost.

Before you sign a lease, it helps to know whether the rent actually fits. This first apartment budget calculator takes your monthly take-home pay and the bills that come with a place of your own (rent, utilities, internet and phone, groceries, transport, insurance, subscriptions and debt payments), plus what you want to save. It shows the share of your pay that rent takes, how your spending lines up with the 50/30/20 guideline, and how much is left for everything else each week. Below that, a move-in estimate adds up the cash you need on day one: deposit, first month (and last month, if your landlord asks for it), fees, movers and setup. Every assumption can be changed. Use realistic numbers from your pay stub and from quotes, not hopes, and the result will tell you whether this apartment works or which line needs to give.

Your result

Rent share: 36%
Left a month: $710
Left a week: $164

Rent is 36% of take-home pay. A common rule of thumb is 30% or less, and many landlords ask for gross income of about 3 times the rent.
After everything listed, $710 a month is left (about $164 a week).
Needs take 67% of take-home pay; the 50/30/20 guideline puts them at about half.
Savings is 9% of take-home pay. The guideline aims for 20%; any amount moved automatically on payday is a start.

50/30/20 check
Bucket	Yours	Guideline
Needs	$2,145 (67%)	$1,600 (50%)
Wants	$755 (24%)	$960 (30%)
Savings	$300 (9%)	$640 (20%)

Cash to move in
Security deposit (1 x rent)	$1,150
First month's rent	$1,150
Application fees	$50
Movers or a truck	$400
Utility deposits and setup	$100
Move-in basics	$300
Total	$3,150

That is 1.0 months of take-home pay.

How this works

Rent share = rent ÷ take-home pay.
Needs = rent + utilities + internet and phone + groceries + transport + insurance + debt payments. Savings = your savings goal. Left = take-home pay − needs − subscriptions − savings. Wants = subscriptions + whatever is left.
Per week = the monthly amount × 12 ÷ 52.
50/30/20 guideline = 50% of take-home pay for needs, 30% for wants, 20% for savings.
Move-in cash = rent × deposit months + first month (if due) + last month (if due) + application fees + movers + utility setup + basics.

The 30% rent line and the 50/30/20 split are rules of thumb used by budgeting educators and landlords, not legal limits. Our first apartment checklist covers what to check before you sign.

Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere; the numbers live in this page's web address, which is how the copy-link button shares a result.

Questions people ask

How much of my income should go to rent?: A common rule of thumb is 30% of income or less. Many landlords screen by asking for gross (before-tax) income of about three times the monthly rent. This calculator uses take-home pay, which is stricter, because take-home is what you actually spend.
What is the 50/30/20 rule?: A simple budget guideline: about 50% of take-home pay for needs (housing, food, transport, insurance, minimum debt payments), 30% for wants, and 20% for savings and extra debt payments. It is a starting point, not a law; in expensive cities needs often run higher.
How much money do I need to move into an apartment?: Usually the security deposit (often one month of rent), the first month of rent, application fees, and the cost of moving and setting up utilities. Some landlords also ask for last month up front. The move-in estimate adds those up with numbers you can change.
Is this financial advice?: No. It is arithmetic on the numbers you type, plus common rules of thumb. For advice on your situation, talk to a certified financial planner or a nonprofit credit counselor.