Rent affordability calculator
Page last updated: August 28, 2026 · How we source & update
Enter your income to see a budget-friendly rent range. This uses the common guideline of spending about a quarter to a third of gross income on rent — a starting point, not a rule. Treat the result as a conversation starter with yourself: it ignores your debts, your commute, your utilities and how stable your income is, all of which change what is actually comfortable. Landlords apply their own income tests, which may be stricter than any guideline.
This is an educational tool, not legal or financial advice. Renter Shield is not a law firm, and no attorney-client relationship is created by your use of the app. Renter Shield does not store what you enter here.
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How this calculator works
It applies the common 30% guideline — rent at or below 30% of gross monthly income — and, when you enter monthly debts, shows how rent plus debts compare to your income. Assumptions & limits: 30% is a budgeting convention (used in federal housing-affordability definitions), not a rule about what you may rent; real budgets differ with taxes, utilities, household size, and local prices. An estimate here does not determine what any landlord must accept and creates no legal rights.