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Salary to Rent Calculator UK
Enter your salary to see exactly how much rent you can afford — with safe, stretch, and maximum monthly budgets based on the UK 30% affordability standard.
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Your income — yearly or monthly
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Before tax — just the number, e.g. 35000 for a £35,000 salary
Your rent budget will appear here
Enter your salary above to see how much rent you can afford
Salary to rent table — UK 2026
Maximum affordable monthly rent at each income level, based on 28% (safe), 35% (stretch), and 40% (maximum) of gross monthly income.
| Salary/yr | Safe /mo | Max /mo |
|---|---|---|
| £20,000 | £467 | £667 |
| £25,000 | £583 | £833 |
| £30,000 | £700 | £1,000 |
| £35,000 | £817 | £1,167 |
| £40,000 | £933 | £1,333 |
| £45,000 | £1,050 | £1,500 |
| £50,000 | £1,167 | £1,667 |
| £60,000 | £1,400 | £2,000 |
| £75,000 | £1,750 | £2,500 |
Based on gross salary. Net take-home after tax will be lower — use the calculator above with your actual take-home for a more conservative estimate.
How much rent can I afford on my salary in the UK?
The standard UK guideline is to spend no more than 30% of your gross income on rent. In high-cost cities like London, many renters exceed this — making it vital to understand your own budget before committing to a tenancy.
Our calculator shows three thresholds: a safe budget (28% of income), a stretch budget (35%), and a maximum (40%). We recommend staying within the safe band to maintain financial resilience.
Remember that rent is just one housing cost. Bills, council tax, broadband, and contents insurance can add £250–£500 per month on top. Factor these into your total housing budget, not just the rent figure alone.
Gross vs net salary
The 30% rule is applied to gross salary — the figure before income tax and National Insurance. After deductions, your take-home pay is typically 25–30% lower. On a £35,000 salary, gross monthly income is £2,917 but take-home is roughly £2,300/month. Entering your monthly take-home pay in our calculator gives a more conservative and realistic rent budget.
Frequently asked questions
How much rent can I afford on a £30,000 salary in the UK?
On a £30,000 salary, your gross monthly income is approximately £2,500. A safe rent budget (28%) is around £700/month. A stretch budget (35%) is £875/month, and the maximum advisable (40%) is £1,000/month. These figures are based on gross income before tax. If you use your take-home pay (typically £1,950–£2,050/month after tax), multiply by the same percentages for a more conservative estimate.
How much rent can I afford on a £40,000 salary?
On a £40,000 salary, your gross monthly income is £3,333. A safe rent budget is approximately £933/month, a stretch budget is £1,167/month, and the maximum is £1,333/month. In many UK cities outside London — Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow — this puts a 1-bedroom flat comfortably within the safe budget range.
How much rent can I afford on a £50,000 salary?
On a £50,000 salary (£4,167/month gross), a safe budget is around £1,167/month, stretch is £1,458/month, and the maximum is £1,667/month. This is broadly sufficient for a 1-bedroom property in most UK cities, including Bristol, Edinburgh, and parts of Greater London.
What salary do I need to afford London rent?
The average 1-bedroom rent in London is approximately £1,890/month in 2026. To afford this within the 30% guideline, you would need a gross salary of around £75,600/year. At the more lenient 40% threshold, you would still need around £56,700/year. Many Londoners on average UK salaries (£34,000 median) are significantly over the recommended threshold.
Should I use gross or net salary to calculate how much rent I can afford?
The standard 30% rule is based on gross (pre-tax) salary, which is how UK letting agents typically assess affordability. However, using your net take-home pay gives a more realistic picture of what you can actually afford after tax and National Insurance. On a £35,000 salary, the difference is significant: £2,917/month gross versus roughly £2,300/month net. Using net pay is more conservative and safer for budgeting.
What costs should I add on top of rent?
Rent is typically the largest but not the only housing cost. Budget an additional £250–£500/month for: council tax (£100–£250/month depending on band and location), gas and electricity (£80–£150/month), water (£30–£50/month), broadband (£25–£40/month), and contents insurance (£15–£25/month). In total, your actual monthly housing outlay could be 40–60% higher than the rent figure alone.