Income & Housing · Calculator

Free 30 Percent Rent Rule Calculator

What is a 30 percent rent rule calculator?

This calculator applies the common 30% rule to estimate a rent cap from your income.

Enter monthly income and actual rent to see whether you are under or over the rule and by how much.

30% cap = Monthly income × 0.30 · Difference = Cap − Actual rent

Use this as a guideline, then validate with your full budget in our monthly budget guide.

If monthly income is $5,000 and rent is $1,400:

Line item	Amount	Calculator field
Monthly income	$5,000	Monthly income ($)
Actual monthly rent	$1,400	Actual rent ($)

30% cap is $1,500, so rent is $100 under the guideline.

Being under can create more room for savings, debt payoff, or lifestyle flexibility.

If you are over 30%, tighten non-housing categories or target lower fixed costs where possible.

No. It is a benchmark, not a strict requirement.

Sometimes, but tradeoffs still matter for savings and goals.

Include recurring required housing charges for realism.

Turn this into a real monthly plan. Set income, caps, and alerts in Ziko — free, no bank login.