Enter your salary to get a quick estimate before you start viewing properties.
Based on your £30,000 annual income, the maximum rent you can afford is £1,000 monthly.
Landlords and agents may use stricter checks. See below for how this is calculated.
If you want to compare that rent budget with the longer-term cost of owning, use the Rent vs Buy Calculator.
Calculated by SmartMoneyTools.co.uk
| Monthly rent | Annual income |
|---|---|
| £300 | £9,000 |
| £500 | £15,000 |
| £700 | £21,000 |
| £900 | £27,000 |
| £1,100 | £33,000 |
| £1,300 | £39,000 |
| £1,500 | £45,000 |
| £1,700 | £51,000 |
| £1,900 | £57,000 |
| £2,100 | £63,000 |
The 30x rule means your gross annual income should be at least 30 times the monthly rent.
For example, £1,000 a month in rent would need a gross annual income of at least £30,000.
The calculation is £1,000 × 30 = £30,000.
Landlords and letting agents use it as a quick affordability screen. It does not check your full budget, debts, bills, or other monthly costs.
Gross income is what you earn before tax, National Insurance, pension deductions, and anything else is taken off.
Yearly rent example
If the monthly rent is £500, the yearly rent is £6,000, so the minimum annual income should be £15,000.
The calculation is £6,000 × 2.5 = £15,000.
- Should I enter gross or net income?
Enter your gross annual income, not your take-home pay. Most landlords and referencing checks use income before tax, so entering net pay will make the result look too low.
Gross income is what you earn before tax, National Insurance, pension deductions, and anything else is taken off.
Net income is what lands in your bank account after those deductions.
- What does this calculator leave out?
- It gives you a quick estimate from your gross income. It does not include council tax, travel costs, childcare, existing debt payments, or the rest of your monthly budget, so treat the result as a starting point rather than a safe spending target.
- Why might a landlord or agent be stricter than this result?
- The 30x rule is only the first screen. Referencing checks may also look at debt, dependants, missed payments, probation periods, or whether your income changes month to month, so the final limit can come out lower than the headline estimate.
- Can we use joint income if we rent as a couple?
Usually, yes, if both of you will be named on the tenancy and the landlord or referencing company accepts both incomes. Add your gross annual incomes together and enter the combined figure in annual income.
If one partner will not be named or their income is not accepted, the rent may be assessed against the named tenant's income instead.
- How does this compare with a full renting budget?
- This tool tells you what a landlord-style affordability check might allow. For the wider monthly cost of living in a property, including rent over time, use the Renting Calculator. If you are deciding between renting and owning, compare both with the Rent vs Buy Calculator.
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