Rent Affordability Calculator

Short answer

Three common affordability tests, side by side. Example: $6,000 gross monthly income gives a maximum of $1,800 at the 30% rule ($6,000 × 30%), $2,400 at 2.5x ($6,000 ÷ 2.5), and $2,000 at 3x ($6,000 ÷ 3). A rent of $2,100 would be 35% of that income — above the 30% rule and above the 3x limit, though within 2.5x.

Last verified: 2026-10-25. This is general information, not legal advice. City ordinances may be stricter and may override state rules. Check the official source for your city and state before acting.

Affordability rules are rules of thumb, not laws. The 30% rule says housing should cost no more than 30% of gross income. The income-multiple rules invert the landlord tests: divide income by 2.5 or 3 to get a maximum rent. Seeing all three together shows why two renters with the same income can get different answers from different rules.

This is general information, not legal advice. City ordinances may be stricter and may override state rules. Check the official source for your city and state before acting.

How much rent can you afford?

Formula

30% rule: maximum rent = gross monthly income × 30%. 2.5x: maximum rent = gross monthly income ÷ 2.5. 3x: maximum rent = gross monthly income ÷ 3. Rent-to-income ratio: rent ÷ gross monthly income × 100%.

Worked example

Gross monthly income $6,000. 30% rule: $6,000 × 30% = $1,800. 2.5x: $6,000 ÷ 2.5 = $2,400. 3x: $6,000 ÷ 3 = $2,000. Rent check for $2,100: $2,100 ÷ $6,000 = 35% — above the 30% rule, above the 3x maximum of $2,000, but within the 2.5x maximum of $2,400. Different rules, different answers: that is why all three are shown.

Limitations

These are rules of thumb, not legal limits and not a lender or landlord decision. A landlord may apply a different test, and a renter's other debts and costs matter too.
Gross-income tests can overstate what is comfortable to pay; the optional net-income 30% figure is the stricter cash view.
This tool covers renting only. It does not calculate mortgage affordability, home-loan qualification, or buying costs.

Sources

No affordability law is asserted on this page; the 30% rule and income multiples are widely used rules of thumb.
See the companion guide: Rent Affordability and the 30% Rule.

Last verified: 2026-10-25.

Next step: read rent affordability and the 30% rule, or check a landlord multiple with the 3x Rent Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What is the 30% rule?

Housing costs should be no more than 30% of gross household income. Above 30% a household is often described as cost-burdened in housing guidance.

Why do 2.5x and 3x give different maxima?

They are different landlord screening multiples inverted: dividing income by a smaller multiple (2.5) gives a larger maximum rent than dividing by 3.

Gross or net income — which should I use?

Landlord tests normally use gross income. For your own budgeting, the net-income figure is the more honest cash test, because tax and deductions are already gone.