How Much Rent Can I Afford on My Salary?
Enter your salary and see the monthly rent that fits your take-home pay after tax — using the 30% budgeting rule and typical landlord affordability checks for 2026/27.
Rent affordability calculator
This uses the same 2026/27 tax rates as our main calculator to find your net pay, then applies the rent rules below.
Figures are a planning guide based on 2026/27 rates (England/Wales, standard 1257L, no pension or student loan). Your real budget should also cover bills, food, transport, savings and debt.
The 30% rule (and why landlords use 35%)
A widely used rule of thumb is to spend no more than 30% of your net (after-tax) income on rent. Landlords and letting agents in the UK often apply a stricter check: they typically want your annual rent to be no more than about 30× your monthly gross salary, which is closer to 35% of net pay at typical salaries.
- 30% of net pay — a comfortable target that leaves room for saving and surprises.
- 35% of net pay — the upper limit many landlords will accept.
- Above 40% of net pay — generally considered rent-burdened and risky.
Worked examples (England/Wales, no pension, no loan)
| Gross salary | Take-home / month | Comfortable rent (30%) | Max rent (35%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | £1,750 | £525 | £613 |
| £35,000 | £2,307 | £692 | £808 |
| £50,000 | £3,157 | £947 | £1,105 |
| £70,000 | £4,047 | £1,214 | £1,416 |
Adding a workplace pension or student loan repayment lowers your net pay, so your affordable rent falls too — always base the maths on take-home, not gross.
Landlord affordability checks in 2026/27
Most UK letting agents verify you can afford the rent with one or more of:
- Income multiple: annual rent ≤ ~30× monthly gross salary (so rent ≤ roughly 2.5× gross monthly pay).
- Affordability ratio: rent should be under ~35% of net monthly income after tax.
- Credit and reference checks: on-time payments, employment status and existing debt.
Don't forget the other costs
Rent is only part of the picture. From your take-home pay you'll also need to cover council tax, utilities, broadband, food, transport, subscriptions, and ideally savings. A common split is:
- 50% needs (rent, bills, food, transport)
- 30% wants (social, hobbies, shopping)
- 20% savings and debt repayment
If rent alone already eats 35% of net pay, the remaining 15% for "needs" plus everything else gets tight — that's a signal to look for cheaper housing or a higher salary.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
The rules are the same, but the take-home figure differs. Scotland's income tax bands (Starter 19%, Intermediate 21%) mean some salaries keep slightly less net pay than an identical English salary, so affordable rent is a touch lower. Use the region selector above or the dedicated Scotland and Northern Ireland calculators for exact numbers.