Free renter tool
Rent Affordability Calculator
Enter what you earn and the rent you're considering. This shows your estimated monthly take-home pay, how much of it the rent would use, and what's left over — before any of the other costs of living there.
Take-home pay is an estimate Your actual take-home pay may differ because of retirement contributions, health insurance, bonuses, deductions, tax credits and other factors.
Rent is only part of what an apartment costs. Utilities, broker fees, commuting, laundry and parking all come out of the same paycheck.
How this calculator works
Affordability is measured against take-home pay, not gross salary — that's the money that actually reaches your account. If you don't know your take-home pay, Breather estimates it from 2025 federal income tax brackets, the standard deduction for your filing status, FICA (Social Security and Medicare), and your state's income tax where verified figures are available. No state rate is ever guessed; if a state isn't modelled yet, the estimate says so and leaves state tax out.
Reading the ranges
Under 30% of take-home pay is generally comfortable, 30–40% is manageable, 40–50% gets tight, and above 50% leaves very little room for savings or surprises. These are general guidelines rather than rules — someone with no car payment and no student loans can carry more rent than someone with both.
Why the 30% rule can mislead
The familiar "30% of income" rule is usually quoted against gross salary and against rent alone. Both make an apartment look cheaper than it is. A $2,750 apartment with a 12% broker fee, $120 of utilities and a $132 transit pass costs considerably more than $2,750 a month. That's the gap Breather is built to close.
More free renter tools
- Broker Fee Calculator — Turn a broker fee percentage into real dollars, upfront and per month.
- Move-In Cost Calculator — Add up the cash you need on day one — deposit, fees and first month.
- Full Breather apartment check — rent, fees, utilities and commuting in one true monthly cost.
Breather gives estimates for informational purposes only — it isn't financial advice. Breathing room is personal, and these thresholds are general guidelines.