Skip to content
exactfigure.com
Changes the currency unit, not the numeric value. No conversion is performed.

Rent-burden calculator

This calculator shows what share of your monthly household net income the rent takes, and — the other way round — how much rent a target share you set yourself would allow. It also shows what is left once the rent is paid. You choose whether to enter the rent including running costs ("warm") or the base rent only ("cold"). There is no recommendation on which share is "right", and no statement about landlord requirements or creditworthiness. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is stored or sent.

Work out what share of your net income the rent takes — and how much rent a target share you choose yourself would allow. There is no recommendation on which share is "right", and no statement about landlord requirements or creditworthiness. All defaults are example assumptions. The calculation runs in your browser; nothing is stored.

Which rent figure are you entering?

"Warm" rent = base ("cold") rent plus the cold operating costs and heating/hot-water costs (electricity is usually billed separately). The warm figure reflects your actual monthly outlay; the cold figure lets you compare listings that quote base rent only. Pick one basis and stay with it.

Freely editable. A common rule of thumb is the 30% guide (rent no more than about a third of net income) — it is only a rough orientation with no firm evidence, does not fit every income or location, and says nothing about what you should spend.

What your result means

The two cards give your rent-to-income share and the income left after rent; the bar shows the share of net income spent on rent. If you entered a target share, the calculator adds the rent that share would allow and the income left in that case. None of these figures says which share is right for you — that depends on your other fixed costs, your situation and your goals.

How this calculator works

The rent-to-income share is the monthly rent divided by monthly household net income, as a percentage. It can come out above 100% — that is a valid, informative result, not an error. The income left after rent is net income minus rent.

For the reverse view you enter a target share in per cent: the rent that share would allow is the target share divided by 100, times net income. This shows the rent figure a chosen share implies and what would then be left to live on.

The target share is freely editable. It is preset to 30% — a common rule of thumb (rent no more than about a third of net income) — used here only as an adjustable guide, not as a verdict on affordability. Common statistical thresholds, such as the 40% housing-cost-overburden mark, are conventions used in official statistics, not a personal limit.

Warm or cold rent is your choice: the cold figure is the net base rent, while the warm figure also covers the cold operating costs plus heating and hot water (household electricity is usually billed separately). The warm figure reflects your actual monthly outlay; the cold figure helps you compare listings quoted "cold". Internally the calculation is unrounded and only rounded for display.

Formula and variables

q = R / I · 100E = I − RR_t = t / 100 · IE_t = I − R_t
q
rent-to-income share, in per cent (may exceed 100%)
R
monthly rent on the basis you chose (warm or cold)
I
monthly household net income
E
income left after the rent
t
target share you set yourself, in per cent
R_t
rent that the target share t would allow
E_t
income that would be left at the target rent

Worked examples

Example 1: rent-to-income share from the warm rent

Example inputs
Rent basisWarm (incl. running costs)
Monthly household net income€2,500.00
Warm rent€750.00
Target share30%
Example results
Rent-to-income share30%
Income after rent€1,750.00
Possible rent at 30%€750.00
Income after that rent€1,750.00

€750.00 out of €2,500.00 is a rent-to-income share of 750 / 2,500 = 30%. €1,750.00 is left each month. A 30% target allows the same €750.00 rent here. The 30% figure is a labelled rule of thumb and an example assumption, not a verdict on what you can afford.

Example 2: a target share below the current burden

Example inputs
Rent basisCold (base rent only)
Monthly household net income€3,200.00
Cold rent€1,120.00
Target share28%
Example results
Rent-to-income share35%
Income after rent€2,080.00
Possible rent at 28%€896.00
Income after that rent€2,304.00

1,120 / 3,200 = 35%, so €2,080.00 is left. A self-chosen 28% target means a rent of 0.28 · €3,200.00 = €896.00 — about €224.00 less than now — leaving €2,304.00. You set the target share; it is not a bank or landlord threshold.

Assumptions

  • Income and rent are constant monthly figures in the same currency.
  • You choose warm or cold; the calculator uses the amount you enter and does not estimate any running costs.
  • The target share is a freely chosen input (preset to 30% as a labelled rule of thumb), not a recommended or researched value.

Limitations of this calculator

  • No view on which rent-to-income share is "right" or "affordable" — the 30% rule of thumb is only a rough guide with limits, not an affordability verdict.
  • No statement about landlord requirements, no creditworthiness or credit check and no lender decision.
  • No live data on rents, incomes or running costs; your inputs are not stored.
  • A household has other fixed costs (electricity, transport, insurance, food …); the share alone does not tell you whether your budget works — the household budget calculator is built for that.

Common misconceptions

  • Reading 30% as a limit: The 30% guide is a rule of thumb with no firm evidence; it is the editable default for the target share, not a threshold you must meet.
  • Mixing warm and cold: Pick one basis and use it for every input; comparing a warm rent with a cold income share is misleading.
  • Treating the share as an approval: The tool says nothing about landlord requirements, credit checks or lender decisions.

Frequently asked questions

Should I enter the warm or the cold rent?

That is your choice. The cold rent is the net base rent; the warm rent also includes the cold operating costs and heating/hot water (household electricity is usually separate). The warm figure better reflects your actual monthly outlay. If you use the cold rent to compare listings, keep that basis for every input.

Is the 30% rule binding?

No. "Spend no more than about a third of net income on rent" is a common rule of thumb with no firm evidence. It does not fit every income or location and says nothing about what you should spend. In the tool it is only the editable default for the target share.

Does the calculator say whether I will get the flat?

No. It makes no statement about landlord requirements, runs no credit check and does not replace an income check. It works only with the figures you enter.

Which rent-to-income share is good?

The calculator deliberately leaves that open. Whether a share is manageable depends on your other fixed costs, your situation and your goals. For a full monthly picture, use the household budget calculator.

Are my inputs stored?

No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. No inputs are stored, sent or analysed.

Sources and further reading

Official and independent sources on this topic. The links open each website in a new tab; no content is loaded from them into this page.

Spotted an error in the calculation or the text?

If you notice something that is wrong or unclear: let us know via the contact page. We review every report.

Last reviewed: 12/09/2026 · All calculations run in your browser – inputs are not stored. ·How we check our calculators