SalaryHog

How Much Rent Can You Afford?

Based on your real take-home pay after taxes, not gross income. Enter your salary and city below.

$

Your take-home: $4,187/month

Max affordable rent: $1,256/month

Based on 30% of take-home pay (after taxes)

SizeAvg Rent% IncomeVerdict
Studio$1,20828.8%OK
1-Bedroom$1,54937%Stretch
2-Bedroom$2,01848.2%No
3-Bedroom$2,41657.7%No
After paying rent on a 1-BR ($1,549), you’d have $2,638/month left for everything else.

Most Affordable Cities for a 1BR on $50K

El Paso, TX

1BR: $950 · 27% of income · Max: $1,055

Memphis, TN

1BR: $950 · 27% of income · Max: $1,055

San Antonio, TX

1BR: $979 · 27.8% of income · Max: $1,055

Oklahoma City, OK

1BR: $940 · 28.2% of income · Max: $1,001

Tucson, AZ

1BR: $1,000 · 29.3% of income · Max: $1,024

St. Louis, MO

1BR: $990 · 29.7% of income · Max: $1,001

Indianapolis, IN

1BR: $1,020 · 30.1% of income · Max: $1,018

Cincinnati, OH

1BR: $1,080 · 31.2% of income · Max: $1,039

Hardest Cities to Afford on $50K

New York City, NY

1BR: $4,430 · 134.1% of income

San Francisco, CA

1BR: $3,657 · 108% of income

Boston, MA

1BR: $2,950 · 89.1% of income

San Jose, CA

1BR: $2,559 · 75.6% of income

Miami, FL

1BR: $2,400 · 68.2% of income

Los Angeles, CA

1BR: $2,295 · 67.8% of income

Honolulu, HI

1BR: $2,210 · 67.1% of income

Washington, DC

1BR: $2,150 · 65.5% of income

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much of my income should I spend on rent?
The widely recommended guideline is to spend no more than 30% of your take-home pay (after taxes) on rent. Under 25% is considered comfortable, 30-35% is tight, and over 35% puts financial strain on your other expenses and savings.
Should I use gross or net income for the 30% rule?
It's more practical to use net (take-home) income rather than gross. Your gross salary includes money you never see — federal taxes, state taxes, Social Security, and Medicare. Using take-home pay gives you a realistic picture of what you can actually afford.
What if I can't find rent under 30% of my income?
Consider getting a roommate (can cut housing costs 30-50%), looking at slightly farther neighborhoods with lower rents, or negotiating your salary. In expensive cities like NYC or SF, many residents spend 35-45% on housing — it's common but means tight budgets elsewhere.
Does location affect how much rent I can afford?
Yes, significantly. The same salary yields different take-home pay depending on state taxes. A $60,000 salary in Texas (no state tax) gives you about $200/month more take-home than in California, directly increasing how much rent you can afford.