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Rent Affordability Calculator

How much rent can you actually afford — or what salary do you need for that apartment? Two ways to run the numbers, with D.C. area benchmarks.

// Your income
$
Estimated monthly take-home
$3,600
Based on ~28% effective tax rate.
// The rules
25%
Aggressive saver
Leave more room for savings, travel, and life. Best if you're trying to build wealth fast.
30%
Standard guideline
The classic rule. Based on gross income — but net is more accurate for your real budget.
35%
Getting tight
You'll make it work, but savings will be harder. Make sure your other expenses are lean.
50%
Absolute maximum
Half your take-home on rent. Liveable short-term in expensive cities, unsustainable long-term.
You can afford
Comfortable (25% of take-home)$900/mo
Sweet spot (30% of take-home)$1,080/mo
30% of gross (old rule)$1,500/mo
Absolute max (50% of take-home)$1,800/mo
// If you pay $1,080/mo rent
Here's what's left for everything else
$2,520/mo remaining
Food & groceries$756
Transport$378
Savings goal$504
Everything else$882
Suggested allocation of remaining income
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// D.C. area rent benchmarks (2026)
Brookland / Takoma Park
$1,300
Studio · Most affordable in D.C. metro
✗ Over your budget
Silver Spring / Hyattsville
$1,500
1BR · Best value with metro access
✗ Over your budget
Columbia Heights / Petworth
$1,700
1BR · D.C. proper, solid value
✗ Over your budget
Capitol Hill / H Street
$2,000
1BR · Central D.C., walkable
✗ Over your budget
Arlington / Alexandria
$2,100
1BR · Urban Virginia suburbs
✗ Over your budget
Logan Circle / Shaw
$2,300
1BR · Trendy D.C. neighborhoods
✗ Over your budget
Dupont / Navy Yard
$2,600
1BR · Premium D.C. locations
✗ Over your budget
Benchmarks based on typical 1BR asking rents in each area. Actual rents vary by unit size, building, and timing.
// Use these together
First Paycheck Decoder →
Get your exact take-home number to plug into this calculator.
D.C. Neighborhood Quiz →
Find neighborhoods that fit your budget and lifestyle.
Emergency Fund Calculator →
Once you know your rent, plan your safety net.