2017 Update: You can download our new Printable Apartment Budgeting Worksheet and use it to estimate your rent and budget for all your expenses.
Update: If you are trying to figure out how much rent you can afford, also check out these three posts for more calculations and expense guidelines:
- How Much Rent Can I Afford on My Hourly Pay
- Affordable Rent Calculator
- First Apartment Budgeting Boot Camp – Formulas and Guidelines
To find out what our readers actually paid for utilities in July 2015, check out these results of our online survey. Our January 2016 utility survey results are here
Our readers often ask how much they should budget for utilities, so we thought we’d give a brief refresher course. We’ve listed some usual utility categories and some thoughts/pricing for each. At the end, you’ll find the estimated total cost per month. (The cost estimates are for a typical one to two BR-sized first apartment.)
Heat
The cost of heating can vary wildly, and can make-or-break the cost of an apartment. So let me break it down by types:
Radiator-Based Heat in Multi-Unit Building: if you are in a multi-unit, radiator-based building, there will almost certainly be no extra charge for heat. This is because there is no way for the landlord to determine which unit used how much heat, and therefore, the landlord will pay the building’s heating bill in total. In this situation, the cost of heating is built into the rent.
Radiator-Based Heat in a House: if you and some friends decided to team up and rent out an entire home, you may then be on the hook for the radiator-based heat. Heating a whole house could cost over $300 a month, though this would likely be split three or four ways.
Gas or Forced-Air Heating: In the winter months, this can be quite expensive. Budget at least $100 a month in the deep winter, though the cost can vary based on the size of the apartment, the quality of insulation, and the efficiency of the heating mechanism. One good way to find out is simply to ask the landlord or previous tenant, since each building will be different in its heat costs.
Summary: Heating can be a bug-a-boo, and can effectively raise your rent by $100 or more a month in the winter. Make sure you know how much you will have to pay before you sign the lease.
Reality Check: Per our January 2016 utility survey, heating averaged $53 for a studio or 1RB apartment, if it was billed separately.
Electricity
Before we consider the cost of air conditioning (which is usually included in the cost of electricity), let’s just focus on the electric bill without A/C.
During winter months, or if you don’t use air conditioning, it is reasonable to pay between $30-50 a month in electricity. There are ways to lower this bill, such as turning off lights, fully powering down appliances, and using compact fluorescent light-bulbs. However, a lot of your bill will simply depend on how much you’re home, how much you watch television (tube TVs are big electric drains), how efficient your refrigerator is, and how careful you are about turning off lights.
Summary: Electricity is necessary, and it will cost you about $40 a month, if you’re an average user with an average unit.
Reality Check: Per our January 2016 utility survey, electricity averaged $55 for a studio or 1RB apartment vs. $60 in July 2015 survey.
Air-Conditioning
This expense can be a real wild card – and it all depends how much you use. Unlike with heat, in most places in the country, you don’t need air conditioning, though it’s nice to have, especially when a heat wave hits.
According to the website CarbonRally, the average American’s AC system costs about $280 a year to run, though the website notes that many systems cost much more. This seems about right to me, when you factor in a few things: first, most people only use their A/C about three to five months a year. And, in some places, like Minnesota or Maine, you may only use it a few times a summer, which averages out with the southern US, where you’d use it much more. So, for people who live in places with average weather, you’ll really only be using it May-September, which means about $56 a month extra on your electric bill. This seems about right – I’ve had my total electric go up to $100 dollars on particularly hot months.
Summary: A/C isn’t strictly necessary, but if you want it, plan on spending up to $60-70 extra a month during especially hot months.
Cooking Gas
In a lot of buildings, if you have a range stovetop, you’ll have to pay for the natural gas that you use during cooking. (And in some buildings, the natural gas will also provide your heat.) As regards cooking, the cost is very minimal – $20 a month at most, usually quite a lot less. It really all just depends how much you cook at home – and, even if you’re spending a little extra to use your gas at home, you’re almost certainly saving money by not eating out.
Summary: Gas is a negligible expense when used for cooking – it’s usually around $10 a month, and by cooking at home, you’re saving money anyway.
Internet
Forty-five dollars a month is roughly average. Keep in mind that you can split the cost with as many other people as are using your connection. For example, when I lived in Minneapolis, my next-door-neighbor and I set up the wireless router so that she could get a signal, too, and then me, my roommate, and her were all using one forty-five-dollar signal.
The other thing to consider is bundling your internet with your cable. You can often get a deal that way …. See below for my thoughts on cable.
Summary: These days, internet is a necessity. It’ll run you about $45 a month, but that will provide a signal for everyone in the apartment, and perhaps some friends nearby.
Cable
I personally don’t have cable, and don’t really miss it. This is an optional expense. Especially with the new high-definition televisions, and their digital antennae, it’s easy to get great reception on network TV, and then you can use Roku or Netflix streaming (or HBO On-Demand, or whatever) for the rest of your needs, though this will cost you about $20 a month, if you subscribe to two services.
If you simply must have cable, look for a deal. They come along frequently, and can save you some money. But be careful – often they’ll have add-ons like free HBO for three months, which will then become charged to your account if you don’t cancel it when the preliminary deal expires. So make sure to read the fine print, and to keep active on your account, so you know what you’re being charged for.
Summary: While it’s not a necessity, it is nice to have cable, and you can usually find introductory deals that include cable and internet for about $90 a month, or you can use a streaming service or two for about $20 a month.
Reality Check: Per our January 2016 utility survey, cable/internet averaged $57 for a studio or 1RB apartment vs. $68 in July 2015 survey.
Renter’s Insurance
As Alissa touched on, renter’s insurance is worthwhile. Think of it as protecting your stuff, come what may. It’s also affordable, at only about $150 a year, or less, depending upon where you live.
Other Add-Ons
Some things you’ll only need if you live in certain areas of the country, but it’s worth touching on them here:
Parking
In some neighborhoods (namely, in big cities, where parking is hard to find), parking will cost extra. In my neighborhood (Lakeview, Chicago), it’s about $150 a month for a parking spot, though there’s enough street parking that it’s not a necessity. In other places, such as Brooklyn Heights, NYC, or Lincoln Park, Chicago, it may very well be necessary, unless you want to spend an hour a day driving around, looking for parking (I’m serious). So know whether you’ll need this before you get a place.
Doormen
If you’re lucky enough to have a doorman, you’ll have to tip him during the holiday season. Usually, it’s about $50-100 per doorman, so if the building had three doormen, it’ll be $150-300. It’s expensive, but it’s also important you do it – you want to be on the good side of the doormen, since they watch your packages, greet your guests, and keep a set of your keys.
Air-Conditioning in Sweltering Locations
I know I touched on it already, but if you live in a really hot place, like Phoenix or Dallas, you’re going to be paying a lot more per month, for more months. Say, $80-90 a month (plus regular electricity costs), for eight months a year. So keep that in mind. Your silver lining is that you don’t have much heating costs.
Adding It All Up
The good thing is you use your A/C in the summer and the heating in the winter, so the overall cost on that evens out some, though heat is generally more expensive. If you get what I mention above, and go with Roku over cable, and don’t have any add-ons, your total utilities cost comes to roughly $200 a month. Keep in mind, though, that this is for the apartment as a whole – so if you have roommates, divide by the number of people living in the unit, though, of course, if you have a very large unit (say for four people, or more), the heat, electricity and A/C will be a touch higher, so add 20% to my estimate, and then divide.
If you want a rough rule of thumb, expect to spend on utilities an amount equal to about 20% of your monthly rent if you live alone, slightly less if your live with roommates. However, if you are looking for an apartment in a high-rent city (NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc.) your utility cost will be in closer to 10% of your rent.
Wow this is so clear and comprehensive!! Thank you!
Hey, it’s Marlowe. I am living with a roommate right now and I can’t take it anymore so I would like to move in on my own. I make about $1040 each month.
The rent over here is income based so it goes off of how much money I make a month/year. The prices for a one bedroom ranges from $341-$680 with our minimum annual income for a one bedroom being $8000 and max $25000 for one person.
All utilities except electricity is paid for, but I’m goth so I never turn on the lights anyway. With me and my roommate combined the electricity is $27 a month at most, but if I was on my own it would be like less than $20. My phone bill is $47.23 a month and I’m on a plan with AT&T where I only have to pay $10 a month for internet since I don’t have the need for cable or a landline.
I don’t have a car and I’m a college student so my transportation is free all year around and the apartment complex is in the middle of everything like stores, the city, work so I have no need for the bus in the first place because everything is a 10-20 minute walk away. Oh yeah, because I’m a college student, I get financial aid every two months and the financial aid for 4 months combined is $3,300 a term. Before I moved with my roommate she was working at the same place as me and she lived comfortable alone in this apartment complex for 2 years before I came along
I was wondering from an expert, with this information alone, would I be able to afford living on my own? And how much rent would I be able to afford in your opinion because that’s probably the amount the manager will set for me as well?
If I get a yes, I’ll go to the manager on Tuesday and ask for an application then get on the wait-list for my first personal apartment.
Thank you for reading ^,^
Giving this a try, why not. Im Shaun
Average monthy income calculated from last five months is $1,233. Full time employment garaunteed with 10.50/hr (looking for a management raise too lol)
No car payments.
Medical needs typically $60mo
Everything else is down to budget. Most places nearby are 6-700mo min. I will be having a roommate so even with minimum wage for him it would add another 600mo to the budget! I also have 5000 in savings for moving and all else. If that gets broken down into months lets say an extra 700~mo for the first 6month lease
On my own:1233
With roommate: 1800
With savings: 1900
Roomate AND savings (max optimism): 2500
Im looking at places generally 715/month . Budget help? Thank you. Maybe im just writing this to get my thoughts down lol
Hi Shaun,
If we understand you correctly, you are planning to use your savings to subsidize your rent for 6 months. Do you expect a huge jump in income then, so that you can still pay your rent after your savings have gone into your landlord’s pockets? You have done great saving that $5,000, don’t waste it now on rent that you cannot afford on your income. Our formula says that your affordable rent is $400-$450 range. To get to that $715 you think you have to pay, will use up most of your savings within a year.
Moneywise, your best course right now would be stay where you are, continuing to save, while you bring up your income. If you must move, look for an affordable roommate share and live frugally. You will be using some of your savings for living expenses, but maybe you can have some left over for when you need money for your next move. Use this printable worksheet to estimate in more detail what you could afford. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/ Good luck!
First Apartment Budgeting Worksheet
Your Budget
Monthly take-home pay (above /12) $1,233
Monthly Essential Living Expenses
Maximum Rent = 35% of take-home -$432
Utilities 20% of rent (electric, water, trash, internet) -$86
Car loan or lease payment
Car Insurance
Gas
Public transportation monthly pass (est. $125) -$125
Groceries/Food -$300
Laundry/Dry Cleaning -$40
Health Insurance (See below 3.) Medical -$60
Cell Phone
Student Loans
Credit Cards
Child care
Other fixed bills
Total Monthly Essential Expenses -$1,043
Cash left for Savings and Discretionary Spending 4.) $190
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $123
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if has car $67
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if public transportation
1.) If you are paid hourly, estimate annual pay by multiplying weekly hours by hourly rate by 50. Example: 40 hrs * $20 *50 = $40,000.
(Yes, we know there are 52 weeks in a year, but many hourly earners do not get paid sick or vacation days, so we use 50 paid weeks.)
2.) % varies by income and filing status; use a tax calculator, for example at https://www.hrblock.com/tax-calculator/.
3.) Health insurance: include here, if not deducted from salary or paid for by parents.
4.) Clothing, vacations, hobbies, entertainment, etc.
Hi I’m Ray from Ca I’m looking to move in my 1st apt an been looking from 1000-1200 for a 1 bed I make a little over 2400 a month
My Bill’s I pay are
Car note- 355
Phone bill -50
Insurance- 200
Has about 100 every 2 weeks
Can I afford to live on my own comfortably? Would I be struggling? Would it be easier if my wife got a part time to help?
Hi Ray,
If you pay half of your income for rent you are considered rent-burdened. Use this worksheet https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/ to estimate what you could realistically afford. Good luck!
Hi I’m ashley from jersey.
I’m looking at an apartment that includes free heat, hot water, and cooking gas. Studio apartment for 885$
With my lowest pay I make 1444$.
That is extremely rare bacause I am a commission base pay but have a fall back of 9$ an hr for40 hrs a week.
Car payment is 268$
Cards 50$
Gym membership which expires soon 32$
Student loan 53$.
Most weeks I make 500-750$ not including tips. Which I always save.
My expenses would’ve around 1300$ cause I round up.
So from what I gather even though the do have ac
Would it be cheaper to get a window fan ac that’s electronic to save money? Or use facility?
We are more the open window type and ceiling fans.
So I would need WiFi at this point or smart tv( not sure how that works if I need both or not.
But either way I want to know if on my own I could afford this?
It’s also a studio apartment.
My boyfriend will most likely move with me but in case something happens I want to know if I can afford this?
Tip average is 200$ a week on the low end.
Also
Hi Ashley,
It’s a little unclear what your income and expenses are, but below is how we read them. It looks like you could comfortable afford that studio, but double check all the numbers carefully. Good luck!
First Apartment Budgeting Worksheet
Your Budget
Monthly take-home pay $2,888
Monthly Essential Living Expenses
Maximum Rent -$885
Utilities 20% of rent (electric, water, trash, internet) -$177
Car loan or lease payment -$268
Car Insurance -$150
Gas -$50
Public transportation monthly pass (est. $125)
Groceries/Food -$300
Laundry/Dry Cleaning -$40
Health Insurance (See below 3.)
Cell Phone -$80
Student Loans -$53
Credit Cards $50
Child care
Other fixed bills -$32
Total Monthly Essential Expenses -$1,985
Cash left for Savings and Discretionary Spending 4.) $903
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $289
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if has car $614
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if public transportation
1.) If you are paid hourly, estimate annual pay by multiplying weekly hours by hourly rate by 50. Example: 40 hrs * $20 *50 = $40,000.
(Yes, we know there are 52 weeks in a year, but many hourly earners do not get paid sick or vacation days, so we use 50 paid weeks.)
2.) % varies by income and filing status; use a tax calculator, for example at https://www.hrblock.com/tax-calculator/.
3.) Health insurance: include here, if not deducted from salary or paid for by parents.
4.) Clothing, vacations, hobbies, entertainment, etc.
Ok shooting my shot here…
I’m looking to move into my first apartment completely on my own. I work 40hr weeks after tax bring home 390 per week some weeks I’ll get OT and bring home $500 per week, but let’s base this off of $390 per week, roughly $1550 monthly income. Rent in my area is $700. I’d need to budget for rent, groceries, internet, and power. Can I afford to live on my own comfortably or should I find a roommate ?
*Note car is paid off, insurance covered by parents. No other bills I pay beside what I stated above.
Hi Zack,
$700 is going to be too much for you if you plan on having any money for entertainment and other discretionary expenses.
See below. A smarter option for you would be a roommate share in the $500 range. Use this worksheet https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/ to double check your numbers. Good luck!
First Apartment Budgeting Worksheet
Your Budget
Monthly take-home pay $1,550
Monthly Essential Living Expenses
Est. Rent -$700
Utilities 20% of rent (electric, water, trash, internet) -$140
Car loan or lease payment
Car Insurance
Gas -$50
Public transportation monthly pass (est. $125)
Groceries/Food -$300
Laundry/Dry Cleaning -$40
Health Insurance (See below 3.)
Cell Phone -$80
Student Loans
Credit Cards
Child care
Other fixed bills
Total Monthly Essential Expenses -$1,310
Cash left for Savings and Discretionary Spending 4.) $240
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $155
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if has car $85
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if public transportation
1.) If you are paid hourly, estimate annual pay by multiplying weekly hours by hourly rate by 50. Example: 40 hrs * $20 *50 = $40,000.
(Yes, we know there are 52 weeks in a year, but many hourly earners do not get paid sick or vacation days, so we use 50 paid weeks.)
2.) % varies by income and filing status; use a tax calculator, for example at https://www.hrblock.com/tax-calculator/.
3.) Health insurance: include here, if not deducted from salary or paid for by parents.
4.) Clothing, vacations, hobbies, entertainment, etc.
I live in Arizona. so y’all better believe you need AC. We get temps up to 125°F. It’s crazy.
;(
I’m looking for a 1 bedroom apartment locally in upstate NY. I work full time and make $41,600/yr and have a monthly expense for bills totaling $850. My monthly take home is $2,344 for a 4 week month…and $2,930 for a 5 week month. Luckily i have a wonderful job where raises and promotions happen often and I’ll be getting a raise for my 1 year anniversary up to $43,100/yr. Unfortunately the community I’m looking to live in has apartments starting at $1,000. Is that too out of the questions for my budget?
Hi Jessica,
Use this budgeting worksheet https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/ to do a detailed estimate of your expenses. It is not clear to us if the $850 included items like food and commuting. Try to aim at rent level that leaves you about $90-100 a week for discretionary expenses and has some room for savings. If you target rent based on only a 4-week month, then you can bank the pay those extra 4 weeks you also get paid on 5-week months. Luckily, upstate NY is not a high rent area, so you should have nice options that you can easily afford. Good luck!
Hello, I make around 1,400 a month I want to get my own place but rent in SA TX in a good side of town starts in the high 700’s I’m wondeeing if I can move out, I have car payments of $362 cards/school loans $400 I’m currently not paying for insurance of phone
It would really help me if you can give me an idea of how much I should be making and if it’s doable to move out with my current income… thank you
I’m actually getting my own place in San Antonio , near Alamo heights. While doing my apartment hunting I noticed all of the places require you to make x3 your rent. Just a heads up when applying.
Hi Michelle,
Right now you are not in any position to move out. Even a roommate share is probably out of your reach. We can work backwards, and see how much you should earn, in order to cover your car, loans, rent, food, etc. The number that you see below is about $1,000 more that you are currently making. You need a two prong plan. On the expense side, stay where you are and max your savings to wipe out your credit card bills and trade to a less expensive car. On the income side, pick up side gigs and look for a better paying job. This is not a quick turn-around, but you’ll start seeing some results soon and who knows if a year from now, you’ll be ready to get your own place or at least split a place with a friend. Don’t get discouraged. This is just a phase you have to go through to move to the next phase of your life. Good luck!
First Apartment Budgeting Worksheet
Your Budget
Monthly take-home pay $2,450
Monthly Essential Living Expenses
Maximum Rent -$700
Utilities 20% of rent (electric, water, trash, internet) -$140
Car loan or lease payment -$362
Car Insurance
Gas -$50
Public transportation monthly pass (est. $125)
Groceries/Food -$300
Laundry/Dry Cleaning -$40
Health Insurance (See below 3.)
Cell Phone -$80
Student Loans -$400
Credit Cards
Child care
Other fixed bills
Total Monthly Essential Expenses -$2,072
Cash left for Savings and Discretionary Spending 4.) $378
Savings (target 5% of take-home)
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if has car $378
Cash left for Discretionary Spending, if public transportation
1.) If you are paid hourly, estimate annual pay by multiplying weekly hours by hourly rate by 50. Example: 40 hrs * $20 *50 = $40,000.
(Yes, we know there are 52 weeks in a year, but many hourly earners do not get paid sick or vacation days, so we use 50 paid weeks.)
2.) % varies by income and filing status; use a tax calculator, for example at https://www.hrblock.com/tax-calculator/.
3.) Health insurance: include here, if not deducted from salary or paid for by parents.
4.) Clothing, vacations, hobbies, entertainment, etc.
Hello,
I make about 38K a year. Rent is $895. Renters insurance is $9.50. I pay water ($30-40), credit card ($25), Apple Music ($4.99), gym ($21.56), power ($100), car gas ($23), and groceries. Company already provides health & life insurance and 401k. Could you create my budget please? I move into my apartment Thursday. Thanks for your help!
And internet will probably be $40
Hi Lex,
Use this printable worksheet to create a budget. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/
If those are all the expenses you have, you are probably ok with $895 rent. You don’t mention car payments or car insurance. If someone else (parents?) pays for those expenses, great.
Good luck!
Hello,
I live in Dallas. I work full time making $18.27 a month. And I work part time as well, bringing in an extra $400/monthly. I try not to rely on my part time job, and tuck that money into savings. I move out of my parents house, and into an apartment in December. My car is paid for, car insurance is $127 a month, phone bill is $115, student loans $50, and rent will be $990.I haven’t figured out the cost for electric, water quite yet. I also know that I’ll need renters insurance. In December, I’ll live about 3 minutes away from my job, which cuts out on gas, and wear and tear on my car. And living closer allows for me to eat at home. Healthcare is provided at work, and I don’t have any children or pets. I do like to get a pedicure monthly, followed by a gel manicure. But I can do without one or the other. What are some great habits to start now? My savings isn’t where I would like it to be when it come to being on my own. Mostly because I had been paying up on my car. Also, I still have to purchase furniture. But I believe that between now, and December I should have some cushion. Especially with no car note. Savings now are really my main concern.
Also, I’ve been leaning towards keeping just one tv in my apartment. And subscribing to Netflix, with WiFi. I don’t watch a lot of television. But WiFi is a must for school.
Hi Sheia,
Using our typical expense formulas, it looks like you can manage that $990 rent with your full time job income, and have enough left over for discretionary expenses. The good news is that you have the side job that you can put into savings. However, if you really eat at home as you plan, and don’t spend too much on discretionary items, you should be able to save at least another $100 from your main job, for a total monthly savings of at least $500. Use our printable budgeting worksheet
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/ and you may find even money money for savings. Good luck!
First Apartment Budgeting Worksheet
Your Budget
Annual Salary (see below 1.) $36,540
Less: Estimated taxes 25% (see below 2.) -$9,135
Less: Other deductions (health insurance, 401K, etc.) $0
Estimated annual take-home pay $27,405
Monthly take-home pay (above /12) $2,284
Monthly Essential Living Expenses
Maximum Rent -$990
Utilities 20% of rent (electric, water, trash, internet) -$198
Car loan or lease payment
Car Insurance -$127
Gas -$50
Public transportation monthly pass (est. $125)
Groceries/Food -$300
Laundry/Dry Cleaning -$40
Health Insurance (See below 3.)
Cell Phone -$115
Student Loans -$50
Credit Cards
Child care
Other fixed bills
Total Monthly Essential Expenses -$1,870
Cash left for Savings and Discretionary Spending 4.) $414
You are amazing!! This information is very helpful. Thank you so much for your time!!
Thanks Sheia, we try to be helpful!
Sheia, Did you move out? I’m looking to do the same. I live in Fort Worth and I’m trying to figure out how to budget with utilities.
Hello, I’m 23 and my name is Simon. My husband and I recently married and are making the transition from LDR to one state. While making the transition to Lakewood, OH we plan to purchase a house within the year. We want to be able to save money while living in an apartment to be able to furnish and make decent mortgage payments each month. My husband and I together take home income a month est. 5,200. we do not have school loans or car payments. credit card bills together 200 per month. phone bill 140. car insurance 250. grocery/misc. 300. Gas 150 We don’t watch T.V. so we will not need cable but would want decent internet service. Can you please help us on budget for an apartment so we do not over spend while trying to save for a house? Thank you in advance!
Hi Simon D,
You are in a great position to super-save for your own place, with your high income and relatively low expenses. Use this printable worksheet to budget with your actual expenses to fine-tune your expenses. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/
You have a very short time horizon for saving for the down payment and other home buying expenses, so you may need to really economize for that year. One way would be to calculate how much you need to save to buy a place and work back from that. You may realize that you will be able to save as much as half of your income and still catch a movie now and then or go out with friends. Good luck!
My husband and I currently living with my in-laws but, we decided to move out in studio apartment that cost $1020/mo. He’s salary takes up to 2400 per month and planning to get 2nd job while me being a student and having a part-time job so I can make up to $1000 per month. Can anybody help if we can afford to rent? Or at least give us any idea how much should we save up before moving out. Thanks!
Hi JM,
Not knowing what your expenses look like it’s impossible to say if $1,020 is too much. If you don’t have high fixed expenses for cars, loans and other potential big items, you could probably manage it. Use our printable budgeting worksheet to double check. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/
In any case, you should have at least 3 times your rent in saved before you sign the lease, to cover first month rent, the security deposit and some money for moving and startup expenses. Good luck!
Hi my name is kyra me and my boyfriend will be getting our first apartment soon with rent being about 770 a month
I make about 1,200 a month and my boyfriend will be making atleast 2,000 a month.
Car payment being :$364 a month
Phone: $111
With me helping out with about 400 a month
Could we afford this with untilities added and live comfortably for awhile?
Hello,
My names Tammy and Im planing on moving out of my dads house in CA to a studio in AZ. The pricing ranging from 600 to 700 a month. I’m trying to figure out how much I need to save for about 2 years of living with no roommates. This is my first time moving, so any advise is greatly appreciated.
Hi Tammy,
Use this budgeting worksheet https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/08/budgeting-bootcamp-budgeting-worksheet-single/ to estimate how much rent you can afford from your income. You should have savings equal to at least 3 times your rent before you move. We do not recommend renting above your means so that you need to make up the rent from savings on a regular basis. To carry $600 a month rent, you need to make at least $24,000 a year or about $12 an hour working 40 hour weeks. Good luck!
Hello, my name is Gabriel and my girlfriend and I live in Maryland and plan on moving out of our studio apartment into a one bedroom in a couple of months. We’ve narrowed it down to two place, one has a monthly rent of $1725 along with a $30 pet rent and $60 monthly parking fee, bringing monthly totals to a $1815. This does seem steep, but a few pros are that the utilities are included in the rent and since we will be moving within the same management company, there will be no security deposit. The other place is cheaper in terms of rent (the rent fluctuates day to day, a one-bedroom is currently at $1425 and a one bedroom with a den is $1500), but utilities are not included. Pet rent is $35, but parking is not charged. We would not be moving within the same management company, so the deposit could be anything from $500 to a full months rent along with $250 to reserve our unit and $300 to bring the dog we plan on buying. Combined, we earn $~4500 per month after taxes with the possibility of overtime on my end. Our current monthly bills include: 1 car note + insurance ($620), cell phone ($100), internet ($50), and for vehicles (~$150), and groceries ($400-500). This would be our first apartment together and our biggest concern is the cost of utilities and water since we both work different shifts so someone would almost always be home. Which option do you think we should go with: The more expensive place with the flat rate or the place a little cheaper with the unpredictability of utility and water bills?
hello, my names Vanessa and I’m looking to move out into my own apartment without roommates. I live in Henderson NV with my parents at the moment. I’d like to move into a one bedroom one bathroom. My paychecks range from $1100-$1300 as I earn $11 an hour with tips and commission as a waxer. i get paid biweekly. A decent apartment here goes for about $850 a month. Can you help me break down all my utilities and help me figure out if it is even possible for me to move out alone please. Or how long i would need to save to do so?
monthly expenses
$253 car payments
$263 car insurance
$100 phone bill
$170 health insurance
$100 credit card
I am totally on the same boat as you. I just moved here to las vegas and am looking to get an apartment for myself with no roomates. TBH, I am really starting to doubt if its a wise idea.i dont want more than half of my check to go towards rent, but I have nobody to room with.
Hi my name is Ari from Michigan, I make about 73k/year, I own my car.
I currently live with my parents, but am trying to move out on my own. I’m trying to move into this loft apartment that’s about $1700/month.
Cell: $50, Internet&Cable: idk yet but it’s included with apartment, Parking: $100/mo reserved parking, Food:$300 (i really don’t know but i’ll be cooking a lot.
Student Loans: $200
Credit Cards: $50/mo
I want renter’s insurance as well, but idk the cost for that.
I’m planning on getting more income, but that’s the current amount.
Hi Ari,
Congratulations for picking a lucrative major! With your low car expenses, you can afford that $1,700 place and have enough cash left over to put 15% of your take-home to savings. If your health insurance does not come through your employer or parents, add it to the expenses and double check all the amounts. And if you are not yet using a money management apps like Mint.com or one of these https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2016/03/02/12-free-apps-to-track-your-spending-and-how-to-pick-the-best-one-for-you/#5f2d68185445, find one that you like. Good luck!
Ari’s Budget:
Annual Salary $73,000
Est. taxes/deductions 35% ($25,550)
After tax take-home $47,450
Per month take-home est. $3,954
Max. rent -$1,700
Utilities, excl. cable/internet 10% of rent -$170
Car payments $0
Car insurance -$150
Gas est./parking -$150
or Commuting est. $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$50
Credit Cards -$50
Health Insurance $0
Student Loans -$200
Savings (target 15% of take-home) -$593
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $551
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
I make about 1,800 a month
I live in MD
I want to rent a 2 bedroom Mobile home out for 1,100 a month. And run a recording studio in the second bedroo until I find a roommate. I don’t drive so I take uber everywhere I go or bus
Cell: $100, Uber/Lyft :250, Food:$60-100 wifi: (don’t know how much it is my parents pay for it) I don’t watch TV, Utilities (I’m assuming about $200 a month)
But I also want to add That if I’m running a studio out of the home I should be able to make it or have more money.
Hi! My name is Kelly and I am looking to move into an apartment with 3 other people. I currently make $2000/month but looking into getting a second job. We are going to split rent, utility, and food costs. I currently pay $140 for insurance, $160 car payment, $130 student loans, $50 for gas and I try and put away an additional $1,000 into my savings account. How much can I put towards our rent?
Hi Kelly,
The bad news is you cannot pay rent and save $1,000 from your pay. The good news is, even if you pay $500 in rent, you can still save 10% of your take-home and if you pay less than $500, all that can be added to savings. Good luck!
Kelly’s Budget:
Per month take-home est. $2,000
Max. rent -$500
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$100
Car payments -$160
Car insurance -$140
Gas est. -$50
or Commuting est. $0
Groceries/food est. -$250
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$80
Credit Cards $0
Health Insurance $0
Student Loans -$130
Savings (target 10% of take-home) -$200
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $350
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Hi MFA Editors,
My name is Ama and I currently live in MD but I’m planning on moving to Zephyrhill, Florida if I get this job that I have an interview for next week. I’ve been trying to plan all of the expenses that I will need to cover and need help to determine whether or not it is something that I can afford and/or if I’m not accounting for certain costs. I would be making ~$2,006 a month after taxes. I found a home for rent (there are mainly homes in the area so getting an apartment isn’t much of an option without a car) for about $650/month that is fully furnished and another one for $900 (not furnished). I mostly plan to bike for transportation and would need to buy one when I move down there. I prefer a warmer temperature so that would cut costs on A/C. I’m assuming that groceries will be ~$200 max but leaning toward ~$150, extra transportation fees if needed will be about $10-15 or less, cell phone: ~$80, Spotify ~$5. I also only need the internet since I mainly use my netflix account to watch shows and don’t need cable. Thank you for your help!
Correction: the phone bill should actually be ~$57
Hi Ama,
Since you do not have many fixed expenses, both rents are doable. If you take a $650 place you should be able to save 20% of your take-home, and still have money left for all your discretionary expenses. We added $125 for public transportation because you may not be able to bike during the hottest months. You may like heat, but Florida in July is an oven. Let us know if the budget makes sense to you. Good luck!
Ama’s Budget:
Per month take-home est. $2,000
Max. rent -$650
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$130
Car payments $0
Car insurance $0
Gas est. $0
or Commuting est. -$125
Groceries/food est. -$200
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$80
Credit Cards $0
Health Insurance $0
Student Loans $0
Savings (target 20% of take-home) -$400
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $375
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Ama’s Budget:
Per month take-home est. $2,000
Max. rent -$650
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$130
Car payments $0
Car insurance $0
Gas est. $0
or Commuting est. -$125
Groceries/food est. -$200
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$80
Credit Cards $0
Health Insurance $0
Student Loans $0
Savings (target 20% of take-home) -$400
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $375
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Hello, my name is Tiffany and I live currently in Temperance, MI but am looking with a roommate for an apartment in Toledo, OH (will settle for a MI apartment if I must) and she will be splitting the bills with me. I make roughly $1,000-$1,200 a month(scheduled for a promotion in a couple months) and I pay $255 for my car insurance, $57 for my student loan payment, I pay around $50 a month on gas, and around $70-$80 for my phone bill. I also have a $2,000 savings account I am building up and have never missed a payment on any of my bills. I know that I can afford an apartment if I choose the right one but I have never really been good at budgeting. I’d just like a little help if you would. Thank you.
Hi Tiffany,
It looks like with splitting household expenses, you’d be able to carry $200 a month for your share, maybe even a little more. It depends how frugally you and your friend can live. The good thing is that you have enough in an emergency fund to bail you out if you hit a rough patch. We are also happy to hear that you have never missed a payment, so your credit score is probably good. However, you should not get a place that forces you to dip into savings every month. Let’s hope that you get a nice raise. Good luck!
Tiffany’s Budget:
Per month take-home est. $1,200
Max. rent -$200
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$40
Car payments $0
Car insurance -$255
Gas est. -$50
or Commuting est. $0
Groceries/food est. ($450/2) -$225
Laundry/dry cleaning est. ($60/2) -$30
Cell phone -$80
Credit Cards $0
Health Insurance $0
Student Loans -$57
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $0
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $263
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
hey my name is justin I live in york pa
I make roughly $1,600mo and have been looking to move to an apartment. I currently have a $231.00 car payment and my insurance is roughly $120mo. I also have a phone payment that is about $100.00mo Am I financially set to move out?
Hi Justin,
If the $1,600 is after taxes/deductions, then you should be able to manage rent of less than $400 a month. A roommate share of $300-$350 would leave you a little room for savings, and if you can find a roommate to split groceries with, you would have even more flexibility. Good luck!
Justin’s Budget:
Per month take-home est. $1,600
Max. rent -$400
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$80
Car payments -$231
Car insurance -$120
Gas est. -$50
or Commuting est. $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$100
Credit Cards $0
Health Insurance $0
Student Loans $0
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $0
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $279
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Oh and I live in Kansas city,mo
Hi my name is Marcean,
I make roughly about $15,900 yr , 1,300mo,and 12.78hr. I have been looking for a house or townhouse for around $750-$800+ . I’m thinking that is a lot but I Cant stay in another apartment hated the last experience. I currently stay with a friend but that is getting old really fast. I have a car payment that is $353.52 ,bank loan $100,car insurance$180.
Hi Marcean,
Here’s your math per month:
Income – $1,300
Rent – ($750)
Utilities($150)
Car ($354)
Insurance($180)
Loan ($100)
Expenses ($1,534)
Shortfall ($234)
What about food, etc.? It’s clear that you cannot rent that house, unless you plan to take in couple of roommates, so your share is in $300 range. Sorry to break you that bad news. Hope you find a roommate share that will work for you. Good luck!
Hi my name is Penelope
I currently still live at home with my parents. My boyfriend and I are going to eventually move into our first Apartment when I get the balls to move♀️. He brings home roughly 1700-2000 a month and I bring home roughly with one of my jobs the same amount I make 15 an hour I work 3 days and get about 36-41 hours weekly he works 5 days and makes 14 and change. My other job I’ll keep for savings unless I’d need the extra money.
I pay 280-300 in car insurance no note.
I drive roughly 1000 miles a week back and forth to work I live an hour away from my job so I’d like to move closer.
I use at least 125 if not more in gas weekly
100 if not more in food not including going out for drinks and food just fast food for me or for us while I drive all day.
I like to keep my nails done so 150 monthly
I have a dog food and grooming 125-200 monthly depending on what’s being done in groomers and what bag of food he’s getting oh and toys he’s spoiled
Mind you I use my boyfriends money for frivolous shopping and drinks and recreational uses when I want .
I have bad credit from credit cards put in my name and not being paid.
And I have a shopping and spending issue…
I’d like to know what budget would you put me on in order to stay above in my bills and having good money management skills because right now it’s not too good..
I’ve never had to be on my own my parents has always been in my corner and gotten everything I ever could ask for, it’s kind of hard to get out the cycle of doing and getting whatever whenever and trying to be an adult and do right
Sorry and I live in Michigan I don’t pay a cell phone bill yet. I go to school on and off through out the year I owe 17k in student Loans I haven’t even tried to pay yet because I’m in and out of school. I do t own or use any current credit cards all debit and bank accounts and I have bcn through my dads health coverage
Penelope
Penelope,
You are so right about your money management skills. We don’t even know where to start. You spend almost 10% of your take home or $1,800 a year on your nails!!! (Even in New York City, you can get a mani, including tip, for $15 and it will last couple of weeks, so $30 a month plus one pedi a month for $40, for a total of $70, less than half of what you spend.) And you spend another 10% or more of your income on dog grooming. And $100+ a month on fast food. You may have learned these really horrible money management skills at home, because you indicate that your credit was wrecked by credit cards put in your name by someone else, presumably by your parents. You would not be able to move out on your own, but if your BF has NO FIXED EXPENSES (car loans, insurance, credit cards, student loans, etc.) and he is willing to carry your share of the rent and other apartment expenses, the two of you could possibly get a place together. It does not seem like an ideal situation and is ripe with potential for fights over money and spending. The better course for you would be to bring your spending under control, get your credit score up, start saving at least 10% of your take-home and live with your parents until you are on a more solid footing financially. Good luck!
Penelope’s Budget – Single:
Hours- 36
Pay/hr $15.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $27,000
Est. taxes/deductions 25% ($6,750)
After tax take-home – Penelope $20,250
Cash take-home -combined $1,688
Rent $0
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) $0
Car payments $0
Car insurance payments -$300
Gas est. ($125 *4wks ) -$500
or Commuting $0
Fast Food -$100
Laundry/dry cleaning $0
Cell phone est. $0
Nails -$150
Dog grooming -$150
Student loans -$200
Target savings 10% of take-home -169
Amount left for discretionary expenses $119
*Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Penelope’s Budget -Couple:
Hours- 36
Pay/hr $15.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $27,000
Est. taxes/deductions 25% ($6,750)
After tax take-home – Penelope $20,250
Hours-BF 40
Pay/hr $14.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $28,000
Est. taxes/deductions 25% ($7,000)
After tax take-home – BF $21,000
Cash take-home -combined $3,438
Rent -$700
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$140
Car payments $0
Car insurance payments -$300
Gas est. ($125 *4wks) -$500
or Commuting BF -$125
Groceries/food est. for 2 -$450
Laundry/dry cleaning est. for 2 -$60
Cell phone est. -$80
Nails -$150
Dog grooming -$150
Student loan -$200
Amount left for discretionary expenses and savings $583
*Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Hi , I make about $2400 each month ( I make $15 an hour and I work 40 hours a week ) . My car insurance fluctuates between $180-$240 a month . I live in Delaware , the apartment I’m looking at covers everything but electric & cable . This is my first time living on my own , can you give me any tips or advice ?
Thanks !
Hi Bria,
How does your car insurance fluctuate? In any case, we used the higher number. It looks like you can afford a place in the $600 a month range, although it does not leave much room for savings right now. Good luck!
Bria’s Budget:
Hours 40
Pay/hr $15.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $30,000
Est. taxes/deductions 25% ($7,500)
After tax take-home $22,500
Per month take-home est. $1,875
Max. rent -$656
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$131
Car payments $0
Car insurance -$240
Gas est. -$50
or Commuting est. $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$80
Credit Cards $0
Health Insurance $0
Student Loans $0
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $0
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $378
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Hello, I make $1523 a month after taxes. I just got an apartment for $750 a month hot water and cable/internet included. I pay $102 for my phone bill, $158 for my car insurance and maybe about $100 for credit cards. I am trying to budget for gas heat, electricity, and groceries. Also, I have the option of paying 850-900 a month for rent with everything included. Would that be a better option?Could you give me any tips?
Thanks
Hi Britany,
You have a very tough budget situation. Not knowing where you live, climatewise, if you have to pay for gas heat and electric, it seems to us locking that in at $850 would make sense.
Still, with your fixed expenses and typical grocery, etc. costs, your expenses exceed your income. Now, there are only two ways to fix that, either grow income or cut expenses, or both. Look for a cheaper phone plan and better car insurance and try to consolidate credit cards to get lower payment. Then learn to cook healthy, frugal meals and take lunches to work and no $5 latte runs in the afternoon. Look for free or cheap entertainment options, and socialize with people in similar financial situation. Netflix and chill with friends at home with a big bowl of popcorn can be as much fun as dropping $20 at the movie theater. And drop you change in a bowl every night as s starter savings plan.
If you make it through the year without going deeper in debt, you have learned some great life skills for the future. We are rooting for you!! Good luck!
Britany’s Budget
Take-home pay per month $1,523
Less:
Rent -$850
Utilities $0
Renter’s Insurance $17 -$17
Car payment $0
Car insurance -$158
Gas -$50
Commuting $0
Groceries/Food -$300
Laundry/Dry Cleaning -$40
Cell Phone -$102
Student Loans $0
Credit Cards -$100
Savings target 10% of take-home $0
Total Expenses -$1,617
Amount left for Discretionary Expenses -$94
I am currently about to move into my first apartment and i make about 3000 after taxes per month. I like my living spaces to be cooler but i understand that will raise my total utility cost. I will need to have a washer and dryer unit and other then that everything else is electric. There also is a water heater in the apartment. Any tips to help me budget correctly?
Thanks,
Hi Avery,
Not knowing if you live in International Falls or Phoenix, it’s impossible to estimate long distance. Talk to your landlord and neighbors, and if you think you’ll use more electricity add to their number $50-$100 to start with. Good luck!
Looking to try and move out in the next few months, currently make 12$ an hour paid bi-monthly bringing home roughly 1300 a month.
Current expenses: Car insurance:90$ a month, internet 40$ , health:70 Gas: roughly 60$ a month, cell phone:30$
Currently the cheapest apartments for rent close to our two office locations for the company I work for are running from 550-670 a month. Could I swing this?
Edit: roughly 1400 a month.
Ok Tom, at $1,400 a month $550 is tight, but if you know how to stretch your money, you might make it if you can pick up a few more hours a week. See below. Still no room for savings, so one year with a roommate would set you up better, moneywise. Let us know what you decide.
Tom’s Budget Revised:
Hours est. 38
Pay/hr $12.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $22,800
Est. taxes/deductions 25% ($5,700)
After tax take-home $17,100
Per month take-home est. $1,425
Max. rent -$550
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$110
Car payments $0
Car insurance -$90
Gas est. -$60
or Commuting est. $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$30
Credit Cards/ Gym Membership $0
Health insurance -$70
Student Loans $0
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $0
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $175
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
I actually found a place going for 515$ a month, and the gas would go down to at most 20$ a month since it is only about 2 miles from my work, This these adjustments it should give me a bit more breathing room.Thanks for the help.
Well done! Now, learn to cook your meals and take lunches to work, so you don’t need all of that $300 for groceries.
And try to get a few extra hours here and there and put that money into an emergency savings account. Have a great first apartment experience!
Hi Tom,
It does not look like you can swing your own place, even at $550. See rough numbers below. Why don’t you look for a roommate share or see if you can pick up your weekly hours. Good luck!
Tom’s Budget:
Hours est. 35
Pay/hr $12.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $21,000
Est. taxes/deductions 25% ($5,250)
After tax take-home $15,750
Per month take-home est. $1,313
Max. rent -$550
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$110
Car payments $0
Car insurance -$90
Gas est. -$60
or Commuting est. $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$30
Credit Cards/ Gym Membership $0
Health insurance -$70
Student Loans $0
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $0
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $63
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
the guy below me cant spel
fools you are any
Hello, I’m in college and still live with my parents. I will be finished with college by the end of the year (2017), and my take home pay after taxes is $631 every two weeks.
Current expenses: Car note: $342 Car Insurance: $80 Cell phone: $80 Health Insurance: $50 Cable/Internet: $180. I want to move out around this time next year. My questions to you is I don’t think my current income will be enough, if so could you show me. If it is not could you give me an estimate of how much I need to make in order to move out on my own (not interested in having a roommate).
I will have my degree in Medical billing and coding if that helps also I live in Al.
I probably spend less than $50 in gas per month.
I hope to hear from you..
Looks like you have about $480 left for rent, utilities, food, and any other expenses. If you sold your car and got something with no payment, you’d probably have around $882 for rent, utilities, and food.
I would say you need to make roughly another paycheck per month to afford your own place, depending on how much rent is in your area. Try sticking it out with your parents until you get a job with your degree!
Okay thanks James I’ll look into that.
Hi Brittany,
Right now you cannot afford your own place, as James indicated. We tried to figure out how much you’ll need to take home in pay in order to afford your current fixed expenses, typical apartment living expenses, and discretionary expenses. It looks like you need about $1,500 a month to cover that nut, before your rent. See below. Then you need to pay your rent. If the rents in your area are in the $1,000 range, you need to take home about $2,500 a month, and that still does not leave you much room for savings. Luckily, you’ll probably make enough after you graduate to afford your own place. Meanwhile, save as much as you can living at home and you should be ready to move out after you are settled in a full time job. Good luck!
Brittany’s Budget:
Max. rent $0
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20%) -$180
Car payments -$342
Car insurance est. -$80
Gas est. -$50
or Commuting $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$80
Credit Cards $0
Student loan $0
Health Insurance -$50
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $0
Cash needed for all other expenses*/Month -$400
TOTAL CASH NEED BEFORE RENT IS ADDED -$1,522
*Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
You could probably cancel or change the cellphone bill, cable, and internet. Maybe drop to a lesser cellphone plan of $30-$50. Drop cable/internet all together, or drop cable and probably save over $100. Could get Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Roku, or Sling TV to get your television content. A lot of TV can now be watched on your cellphone too for free. When I get my new place, cable TV is getting tossed immediately.
Great advice Aplus! The name of the game with personal finances is to get your fixed monthly nut as low as possible.
I.m looking to move out of my parent’s house. I curently live in OR, and have a job that’s $11/hour and I work 45 hours on average a week. I would make, in theory, about $1200 a month, but I have not had the job for a month yet. I don’t have a car but the public transport is $100 a month. I don’t even care if it’s a dumpy little place just so long as I have one. I don’t know yet if the job will give me insurance, but for 45-50 hours a week it better. I’m actually paid weekly.
First, a reminder to all our commenters. Just give your first name, or a name your pick, and limit disclosing identifying information. This is the internet, after all!
Hi A,
First, check out this post for estimating your max. affordable rent.https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/07/how-much-rent-can-i-afford-on-my-hourly-pay/
You see that your number is $619 a month. Next, you need to add all your other expenses and see if you’ll have enough left over for discretionary expenses. We like to see $400 or so in that bucket. In you case, if you move now it looks like you can manage that rent, but not be able to save much. Stay with your parents until have saved $2,000+ and after your move make a habit of saving all your overtime earnings. And wait a few months to find out that the job you just got is something you want to do for longer term. Good luck!
A’s Budget:
Hours 45
Pay/hr $11.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $24,750
Est. taxes/deductions 20% ($4,950)
After tax take-home $19,800
Per month take-home est. $1,650
Max. rent -$619
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20%) -$124
Car payments $0
Car insurance est. $0
Gas est. $0
or Commuting -$100
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$80
Credit Cards $0
Student loan $0
Savings (target 10% of take-home) -$165
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $222
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Seeing that you’re actually answering peoples’ budget questions, I might as well give it a shot!
My take-home pay from my full-time job is $2,360/month. I also occasionally work at a restaurant on weekends, and this can bring in several hundred dollars extra a month (but I feel safer relying on fixed income, and anything from the second job can go directly into savings). I’m looking to rent on my own for the first time. I work in Woodbury, MN (a suburb of Minneapolis), and am ok with living within 20 miles of there. As you may know, the Twin Cities Metro area has exorbitant prices for housing.
Current expenses include: $307 (car payment), $105 (car insurance), $42 (student loan #1), $220 (student loan #2) = about $675 a month.
I’m currently commuting 80 miles everyday for work, so transportation costs are very high, but with moving closer that should be reduced significantly. I’m unsure how much I actually spend on food and non-fixed expenses per month. I save well, but I also think I spend well…a bit.
I’m not sure if you need any more information than that. 35% of my take home pay is $826 for rent and 20% of that is $165 for utilities. $826 is enough to get a small, no frills, 1 bedroom around here (hopefully with a garage :)), but I’m worried with my high student loan costs that I should aim lower. What do you think? Am I being unrealistic for my budget to think I can afford $800?
P.S. There are NO apartments within my radius for less than $750 with a garage. Western Wisconsin tends to be cheaper. Do you know if I’ll run into tax issues living in Wisconsin (my home state), but earning in Minnesota? Added: does it change if I get another job in Wisconsin?
Hoping to hear back. Thanks in advance, if I do!
Hi Claire,
Because of your car payments and student loan payments, the rent formula leaves you too little for discretionary expenses and nothing for savings. See rough budget below. Our latest post “This is How Much You’ll Save in Rent by Living With Roommates in Top 25 Markets” shows that you’d probably save about a third in rent living in a 2BR apartment with one roommate. We like to see at least $400 left for discretionary expenses and that $250+ savings in rent would get you there and leave a little extra to put into your emergency fund. Good Luck!
Claire’s Budget
Take-home pay per month $2,360
Less:
Rent -$826
Utilities -$165
Renter’s Insurance $17 -$17
Car payment -$307
Car insurance -$105
Gas -$100
Commuting $0
Groceries/Food -$300
Laundry/Dry Cleaning -$40
Cell Phone -$80
Student Loans -$262
Credit Cards $0
Savings target 10% of take-home $0
Total Expenses -$2,202
Amount left for Discretionary Expenses $157
Hello, I’m moving into an apartment with my fiance at the end of the month and it’s my first apartment. He makes 10/hr and is part-time so he is making very little, about $200 a week usually. He is going to be receiving a military stipend of $1600 starting in May, when he starts his summer college courses. I make 15/hr, typically hitting 68 hours but lately I have been working extra days to hit 40 (the office I work in is not open for a full 8 hours every day and I am usually scheduled on half days. We are not allowed to go into over-time). Lately my checks have been about $1600/mo, but I’m hoping the few extra hours will bump that up to $1800/mo. I have $1800 saved right now and we are getting our first month at half price, so that plus the prorate for this month will be $579. There is also a $500 pet deposit/fee. The only bill I currently have is my phone bill, $45. My fiance is paying for his car bill: $350, car insurance: $80, phone: $100. He has had to take out loans to make his payments occasionally, which I absolutely so not want to do, nor do I want him to do that again. The rent is $894 a month and doesn’t include utilities. We have to pay for water, electricity, and other small expenses: pet rent – $25, trash – $16, pest control – $5, top floor view (every unit has a view or floor fee, like lake view, pool view, hardwood floors, floor levels, etc. All the floors above the first had a $25 fee and they add on the other fees depending on the unit, so $25 was the cheapest option we could get.) – $25. It would also be ideal for us to have internet, without cable, which is going to be $85. We will probably spend $300-400 on food each month, about $50 on gas, and we also have a dog who costs between $35 and $100 a month for her food and pills. My biggest fear is the unknowns – the electricity and water bills. I have no idea what to expect, as we live in Texas so we will have to have the A/C going pretty close to all the time (Can’t have my puppy overheating while we’re at work!) I don’t have a lot of options at this point, we’re kinda being rushed out of our current situation and this is the cheapest apartment that I could find close to work.
Forgot to mention that the military sends the $1600 every month he’s enrolled.
Also forgot to say thank you!
Hi I’m thinking of moving into a 2 bedroom house. The cost of rent is 450$, the cost of utilities would be about 160$, groceries is 100-150$. Together after taxes me and my fiance bring home 1650$. Phone bill total is 125$ for both. Gas(car) would be about 40$ per month. Wi-Fi is 50$. We have 1000$ saved up right now. Insurance will be around 150-250$. She’s getting a decent sized raised within the few weeks. Is it practical or even doable?
Also we are trying to save just as well even if its a little. Anything helps
I live in California, Central Valley near Fresno. My take home pay is $1752 per month. I work 40 hrs wk, medical, dental, eye, life ins and 401k. The apartment I’m looking at is $750 per month. ALL utilities paid! I have $4,000 in savings. Car ins $192 every 6 months, NO CAR PAYMENT! Cell phone $70 per month, internet would probably be $45 per month after any promotion. I work at a grocery store and the apartment is 2 blocks away.
Hi Gloria,
Because of your low car expenses and no commuting costs, you should be able to afford $750 rent (utilities included), even if it is a high 43% of your take-home pay. We like to see at least $400 a month available for all other expenses even after saving 10% of your paycheck. You are a little under that after the savings, but you already have a nice nest egg, so it should work out. Also, working in a grocery store you may have some savings on your food bill. See rough budget below. Good luck!
Gloria’s Budget:
Per month take-home est. $1,752
Max. rent -$750
Utilities, incl. cable/internet -$45
Car payments $0
Car insurance ($192/6) -$32
Gas est. $0
or Commuting (includes gas?) $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone -$70
Credit Cards $0
Other Debt $0
Savings (target 10% of take-home) -$175
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $340
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Hi there, I’m also looking to move out of my parents lol! I have been saving enough where I have an ’emergency/job loss fund’ and an ‘unexpected bills’ fund. As of now my take home pay after taxes, health insurance,401K is about 1800/mo.
I am looking to see what my target rent should be (and estimated utilities) as I prepare to move out. Car is paid off and parents will cover car insurance. Phone bill is $75, student loans $100, I estimate I would spend $180/mo for transportation, $200/mo on groceries, I would still like to save at least 15% for personal savings.
What would be a good target or range for apartments?
Hi Brit,
Thanks for your comment. We have used it as an example in our new budgeting series that we call “First Apartment Budgeting Boot Camp.” You can see our response to your question in this new post https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/04/first-apartment-budgeting-boot-camp-case-studies-brit-billy/ on the site. Hope it helps. Good luck!
My boyfriend and I are looking into apartments. We are looking at places in the Denton County, Texas area. We both make 11 an hour and we are estimating around 35 hours since we usually get around 35 to 40. We both have car payments and I have car insurance.
My car payment is $141.99 a month and his is $180 a month
My car insurance is $55 a month,
Our parents are covering our phone bills, and my mom is covering my health insurance. We aren’t sure on his health insurance yet. I also have a little extra expenses which are around $15 a month.
We also need to add in us paying for gas for our cars.
What would be the best priced apartments to get? and what would leave us with a little more spending money for leisure activities. Thanks!
Hi Rachael,
If you look at our post https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/07/how-much-rent-can-i-afford-on-my-hourly-pay/,
you’ll see that $11/35 hours a week shows max. rent of $481 for each of you, or $962 combined. That seems too high based on your other expenses, but, luckily, living in Denton County, you should be able to get a nice 1BR for a lot less. We estimated $700. Your BF needs to get health insurance and we estimated his out of pocket cost at $100, assuming he is eligible for Obamacare cost reduction benefits due to his income. He needs to research the actual costs for Texas plans. You need to add in the budget BF’s car insurance. We also included in your budget 10% of your take-home for savings, so you get right away in a habit of saving. See rough budget below. Good luck!
Rachael’s Budget:
Hours-R 35
Pay/hr $11.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $19,250
Est. taxes 15% ($2,888)
After tax take-home – Rachael $16,363
Hours-BF 35
Pay/hr $11.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $19,250
Est. taxes 15% ($2,888)
After tax take-home – BF $16,363
Per month take-home -combined $2,727
Max. rent -$700
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$140
Car payments -$321
Car insurance- R (BF’s car ins. ??) -$55
Gas est. ($50 each) -$100
or Commuting $0
Groceries/food est. for 2 -$450
Laundry/dry cleaning est. for 2 -$60
Cell phone est. $0
Credit Cards $0
Student Loan $0
Other fixed monthly bills -$15
Health insurance -BF est. -$100
Savings (10% of take-home) -$273
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $513
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Do you think $810 would be too much rent for my boyfriend and I together?
Hi Rachael,
We answered your question in this post https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2017/04/first-apartment-budgeting-boot-camp-couples/. See the full answer below. The bottom line is that two cars will be a real budget buster.
You do not give us any information about your incomes or other expenses, but we love a challenge so we try back into an income number you’d need. We’ll do it by 1.) assuming first that each works a 40 hour week and 2.) estimating the hourly pay rate each would need to earn in order to comfortably pay $810 a month in rent plus all the other typical apartment living expenses and target savings. Because commuting expenses between using cars or public transportation make such a huge difference, we’ll show the numbers both ways. As you see below, if you have to get two cars with average expenses, you each have to earn $3 more per hour to pay for them, versus using public transportation. Good luck! Hope this helps.
Rachael’s Budget: NO CARS
Hours-R 40
Pay/hr $10.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $20,000
Est. taxes/deductions 15% ($3,000)
After tax take-home – Rachael $17,000
Hours-BF 40
Pay/hr $10.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $20,000
Est. taxes/deductions 15% ($3,000)
After tax take-home – BF $17,000
Cash take-home -combined $2,833
Rent -$810
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$162
Car payments $0
Car insurance payments $0
Gas est. ($50 each) $0
or Commuting -$250
Groceries/food est. for 2 -$450
Laundry/dry cleaning est. for 2 -$60
Cell phone est. -$160
Credit Cards $0
Student Loan $0
Other fixed monthly bills $0
Discretionary expenses ($100/wk/person) * -$800
Cash Outflow/Month -$2,692
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $141
*Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Rachael’s Budget: 2 CARS
Hours-R 40
Pay/hr $13.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $26,000
Est. taxes/deductions 15% ($3,900)
After tax take-home – Rachael $22,100
Hours-BF 40
Pay/hr $13.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $26,000
Est. taxes/deductions 15% ($3,900)
After tax take-home – BF $22,100
Cash take-home -combined $3,683
Rent -$810
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$162
Car payments ($300 each) -$600
Car insurance payments ($150 each) -$300
Gas est. ($50 each) -$100
or Commuting $0
Groceries/food est. for 2 -$450
Laundry/dry cleaning est. for 2 -$60
Cell phone est. -$160
Credit Cards $0
Student Loan $0
Other fixed monthly bills $0
Discretionary expenses ($100/wk/person) * -$800
Cash Outflow/Month -$3,442
Savings (target 10% of take-home) $241
*Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Hello, I’m looking to rent and apartment on my own. My base pay is $18.05 not including my shift differential of $1, I am scheduled to work 36 hours a week but usually pick up overtime but I do not want to count that in my budget because it’s not always guaranteed. The apartment I’m looking at is $750 a month, I also pay my car payment $350, personal loan $150, insurance $108, phone $100 and student loans $170. Is this practical? I would like to live comfortably and not have to rely on working overtime every week to pay my bills.
Well, this depends on what you are making a month after taxes are taken out of your paycheck. Just to give an example, I get about 30% taken out of my gross pay a month that goes towards taxes. That percent varies from person to person though only you know how much you take home each month after taxes. Even if you still do come out on top making more a month (that’s the minimum amount you could potentially take home if you had no overtime or bonuses) than the cost of living and all of the other expenses you mentioned you have to pay, you want to have a decent cushion of money left over for gas, groceries, clothing, etc. Obviously, how much ‘pocket money’ you’d like to have left over is your preference, but I personally like to have at least $600 to take home. I get anxiety and stress myself out over the possibility of not having money should an emergency arise probably more than I should, but that’s just how I’ve always been.
Hi Bri,
Based on your numbers, $750 rent will be too much and you will be super stressed to get all the overtime you can. See budget estimate below. (Note the new format with more expenses detailed.) Your budget killer is the loans, $670 a months, eating 30% of your estimated take-home each month. You have a good pay, but you need to “clean up your balance sheet” in accounting speak before you move. How much longer do you have car and personal loan payments? Try to clean up at least one of them before your move. The student loan probably has the biggest balance and you have longer payment terms on that one, so you have to live with that one for the time being. You also need to target to save $2,500 before you move. Good luck! Keep us posted on your progress.
Bri’s Budget:
Hours 36
Pay/hr $18.05
Total/yr (52 wks paid) $33,790
Est. taxes 20% ($6,758)
After tax take-home – $27,032
Per month take-home $2,253
Max. rent -$750
Utilities, incl. cable/internet (20% of rent) -$150
Car payment est. -$300
Car insurance est. -$108
Gas est. -$50
or Commuting $0
Groceries/food est. -$300
Laundry/dry cleaning est. -$40
Cell phone est. -$100
Personal loan -$150
Student Loan -$170
Savings (10% of take-home) $0
Cash left for all other expenses/Month $135
Clothing, entertainment, vacations, etc.
Hello, I live with my family and it is time to move out. I live in a city where rent is really expensive. A 1-bed room can be anywhere from 1000-2000 dollars. I have found a studio apt. for $895 utilities not included. I make $2400 after taxes per month and pay for my car which is low-end $400 and my insurance is $200. My gas is $100 and my student loan bill is $120. For groceries I would say $200-$220 per month and my phone bill is $100. I currently have about $2,500 in savings. I am looking into living with a roommate but the idea of living with a stranger albeit another woman is a scary thought. One place with a roommate I do have interest in is $800 a month. My friends are not an option as they also live with their family. My salary will be increasing in October and my phone bill and car insurance will decrease in October as well. It would be ideal to wait until October to find a place and save up more money but that is not an option. Any advice?
Also I plan to work a weekend job until my pay increases and I hope to make an extra $300-$400 dollars per month.
Hi Ashley,
Have you actually added up your expenses to see how much you have to make to afford a place? See below how it looks like now. If you move out now it will be really tough. Try to find a less expensive roommate share and get that weekend job. Start speed-saving, targeting $3,000. You’ll need a reserve to make it until October. Brown bag lunches, get your coffee from the office pot, cook at home, hang out with friends who are also rent poor, and you may just hang in there until October. Good luck!
Ashley’s Budget:
Per month take-home $2,400
Rent -$895
Utilities (20% of rent) -$179
Car Payment -$400
Car insurance -$200
Gas -$100
Student loan -$120
Phone -$100
Food (groceries, lunches, coffees) -$220
Cash after fixed exp. $186
Per week $47
Hey, I’m thinking about moving out of moms’s house. Lol. I graduated college last year and I really want to experience living on my own for at least a year before I settle down with my boyfriend. I live in Tx and I bring home $3200 after taxes, insurance, & TRS. I also put 15% in savings each month. The apartment I want is $1225, car $488, car insurance $100, phone $80, and tv/internet $110. Is this practical?
Hi Taylor,
You obviously have a good job and saving 15% is great, unless you are living rent-free and ONLY saving 15%. Moving out on your own will be an important step and based on your numbers you should be able to do it. You probably cannot save much if you take that fairly expensive – for Tx rental – on top of your very high car payment. If you can find a nice place for less, it would be better, but you’ll probably live in your first place only a year, so use it as a learning experience. Good luck!
Taylor’s Budget:
Per month after tax take-home $3,200
Max. rent -$1,225
Utilities (20% of rent) -$245
Car -$488
Car insurance -$100
TV/Internet -$110
Phone -$80
Cash after fixed exp. $952
Per week $238
Hi everyone!
I am about to rent an apartment that cost $450 with water on the renter but gas and electricity on me heating is water? I am make about 1200 dollar? I don’t have any pets? But I pay phone for $40 and car insurance for 47 , and also I am trying to get internet in my apartment? I would like to get an advice here?
Hi Sam,
Here’s your rough budget. It looks tight, with little margin for error. Hope you have couple of thousand saved, for the move and a little emergency fund. Before you sign the lease, take a look at all your expenses for the past couple of months – where has that $1,200 gone. Will you be able to cover everything when the rent and related costs are added? Good luck!
Sam’s Budget:
Per month take-home $1,200
Max. rent -$450
Utilities (20% of rent) -$90
Car insurance -$47
Phone -$40
Internet -$50
Cash after fixed exp. $523
Per week (30 day month) $122
HI,
I feel like a foreigner visiting an American restaurant with regards with Doormen tipping etiquette. Do I just give a few dollars every time he/she helps with a service, or do I tip every time I see them? Are their wages dependent on tips similar to waiters?
Thanks
Hi Yichen,
You tip a doorman when they help with a service, for example, by getting you a cab.
Cost of water…?
Hi Cean,
Check out this post for average water costs in our utility survey. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/03/budgeting-apartment-utility-costs/
Hi, I am looking to be renting an apartment for about $850 a month with everything included. I make about 2,020 per month. My expenses include:
car insurance: 165 a month
Car Payment: 200 a month
Phone bill: 110 a month
a personal loan: 100 a month
Is this possible for me to survive?
I’m going to be renting a $1000 2 bed 2 bath apartment in a few months. I make $1500 monthly and my fiance makes around $3000. We have two cars at $150 car payment and $100 car payment with insurance at about $150. With all other bills involved is this realistically possible?
Hello, I’m getting married next month the budget has been a very important topic my fiance and me have been talking about since we realize money is the #1 cause of arguments in a marriage. I’ve never lived on my own so I’m trying to take in as much advice as possible. My situation is the following:
I will be moving into an apartment with the rent being $750/mo, this includes sewer, water and trash. I live in Arizona so I realize electricity will definitely be higher than normal. We don’t have any car payments or any debt. We don’t watch TV so it would only internet from us. Cell phones together is about $100/mo. Car insurance together is at $110.
Our take home pay after taxes is $3,200 a month.
What would your suggested budget be for this scenario?
Hi Jimmy,
You are so smart that you and your fiance are getting on the same page regarding money issues. If you are both happy to live within your means, you’ll avoid the money arguments altogether. There will be other arguments (about taking out the garbage and how to split holidays with in-laws and countless other things) but they are easier to resolve. On the money front, with your low fixed expenses, this is the time to maximize your savings so you lay a good foundation for future when the big bills start to come with children and houses and other big budget items. First, if your employers offer 401K plan, participate in it and save at least as much as you need to get the maximum match. In addition, set up automatic transfers from your salary to savings. You should be able to save 20% of your take-home, for emergencies and future, and still have plenty of money for living expenses. See below. Good Luck!
Jimmy’s Budget:
Per month take-home $3,200
Max. rent -$750
Utilities 30% (electric/internet) -$225
Car insurance -$110
Phone -$100
Savings (20% of take-home) -$640
Cash after fixed exp. $1,375
Per week (30 day month) $321
Hi everyone!
I am about to rent an apartment that cost $799 with no utilities? I am make about 2,000 dollar? I don’t have any pets? But I pay phone for $60 and car insurance for 115, and car payment about $500 also I am trying to get internet and cable in my apartment? I would like to get an advice here?
Hi Omar,
You have made a nice car a priority expense so you cannot realistically afford the place you want to rent. See below. We like to see at least $200 a week left for all other living expenses (gas, food, clothing, etc.) after you pay your fixed bills. You’ll have less than $100. Rethink your priorities and good luck!
Omar’s Budget:
Per month take-home $2,000
Max. rent -$799
Utilities (20% of rent) -$160
Car Payment -$500
Car insurance -$115
Phone -$60
Cash after fixed exp. $366
Per week $92
Hello!
My friend and I are looking to rent out a 2 bedroom house in Colorado that will cost $850 /month. we both make the same amount of money, bringing in $1,440 per month after taxes. I have a monthly car payment of $426 and insurance of $270 per month and nothing else. His car payment is $325 and insurance is $200 per month. we both would like internet but don’t need cable. The heating in the house is forced air.
Would this be possible for us?
Hi Kayla,
While you could afford $850 rent on your incomes, you cannot because of your high car payments. In life you cannot have everything, but you have to make choices. You have both made your cars priorities over an apartment. With your car costs you’d end up with less that $150 a week, combined, for all other expenses for 2 people. It is not enough. Good luck!
Kayla’s Budget:
Per month take-home $2,880
Max. rent -$850
Utilities (20% of rent) -$170
Car Kayla -$426
Insurance Kayla -$270
Car BF -$325
Insurance BF -$200
Cash after fixed exp. $639
Per week (30 day month) $149
Hello! I see many people getting really good advice on here, so I’m going to hop on the bandwagon.
I’m looking to rent an apartment soon, and I bring home about $2k each month (after taxes). I am financing a car at $155 w $220 insurance a month. My phone bill is $65 a month. I also have a personal loan I pay $130 a month.
The place I’m looking at is $600 a month for rent, water is capped at $27, and I was also looking to get a dog which is an extra $25 a month.
Is it possible to do?
Hi Caitlyn,
Based on your take-home pay, our formula indicates that your max. rent is $700 (35% of $2,000), so $600 should be doable. But before you rush to sign a lease, you need to look at all your expenses. After deducting the expenses you mentioned, you’ll have roughly $160 a week for all your other expenses. We like to see at least $200 a week left for other living expenses and savings, so you are a little short. Could you wait with the dog until you are settled and know you can afford one? (Pets cost money and you cannot skimp on their food or vet bills. Check out this post.) Are you careful with money? Do you know how to cook? Are your friends in a similar financial situation? Are you already saving in a work 401K plan? Do you have $2,000 in savings for moving costs (rent, security deposit, bed, etc.). If you answer yes, then you should be able to move, especially if you delay that dog. Good luck!
Caitlyn’s Budget:
Per month take-home $2,000
Max. rent -$600
Utilities (20% of rent) -$120
Car payment -$155
Car insurance -$220
Phone -$65
Loan -$130
Pet fee -$25
Cash after fixed exp. $685
Per week (30-day month) $160
I’m looking to get a 2 bedroom apartment, the apartment I found is $725 a month. I pay for cable, electric, garbage, internet, and water. How much on average do the utilities cost? I want to make sure I’ll make enough before applying for the apartment.
Hi Kalylee,
Did you check our utility cost surveys here https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/03/budgeting-apartment-utility-costs/? For a rough rule-of-thumb estimate start at 20% of rent or $145. If you have to also pay for heat separately, add another $50-$60. Good luck!
Hello I live on the central coast of California and I’m thinking about renting an apartment.
Rent would be $720
I work 40 hours a week $11 an hour. I get paid biweekly
My phone bill is $120
You think I could be able to afford an apartment?
Hi Abigail,
Looking at the numbers you have provided, you will end up quite short each month. I would suggest finding a room mate to share expenses with.
I’m looking at a STUDIO apartment, and ALL untilities are included how much extra am I looking to add on a month?
Hi Alora,
All utilities? Heat, electric, gas, water, cable TV, internet? Garbage collection? If all are included, you only need to budget for all your non-housing related expenses, food, clothing, commuting, loans, credit card payments, etc., etc.
Hi! I’m looking for a 2-3 bedroom apartment in Hawthorne/harbor city in California. Each place ranges from $1,300-1,695 for rent a month, including water and garbage. I make about $14/hr and so does another possible room mate. The other room mate makes about $10.50/hr. We are all full time. I’m trying to determine how much the rent will be for each person including gas and electricity. Help?
Hi Sandra,
As a rough estimate for all other utilities (gas, electric, cable, internet) use 20% of rent, so your total housing will be $1,560 to $2,034 a month. If you split expenses based on income, using the chart in this post as a rough guideline https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/07/how-much-rent-can-i-afford-on-my-hourly-pay/, roommates 1 and 2 can afford max. $700 a month for a share and roommate 3 can afford $525, so it’s roughly 36%/36%/28% of rent for each share. Typically, however, rent is split by size of rooms, or amenities in each room (closets, en suite baths, etc.) ust make sure you are fair, whatever method you use, so that your roommate relationship gets off to a good start. Good luck!
Hi, I’m moving into a one bedroom apartment in southeast Texas. the rent is 850 and I pay 164 for cable me and my husband owns our car and we pay 80 for car insurance. This is my first time paying water and lights do you know how much it will be. I work on a computer about 10 hours for 5 days and I don’t really watch to much tv maybe 7 hours a week and my husband works 4 days and he uses the tv on his 4 days off for maybe 2 hours.
Hi Skylar,
Start with our rule of thumb of 20% of your rent, or $170 a month for electric, water and trash collection. If you want a more detailed estimate, check out this site for the average electricity usage by major appliances. http://laneelectric.com/tools/bill-estimator/
And ask your landlord for en estimate what similar apartments might pay. Good luck!
Hi. Iam trying to figure out how the elec co determines my bill. I was renting but not in my apartment for over a month and they charged me 40. Thx
Hi Elle,
Have you called your electric company for an explanation? You should always do that when you don’t understand any of your bills. One reason could be that if all your appliances were plugged in they were all drawing electricity. This is why you should unplug everything except your fridge (unless it’s empty) if you are away for an extended period. Another may be that the bill was an estimate based on past usage, because your meter was not read. If that’s the case, it should adjust in the future. Let us know what you find out.
Hello! I am interested in renting a 1 bedroom apartment in upstate NY (specifically Glens Falls or Queensbury). I work a full 40 hours a week and make $18/hr. I also have a part time job 6 hours a week at $13/hr. I am paid bi-weekly with both jobs. I pay roughly $150/month for student loans. I am also looking into leasing a car for $250/month. Would it be possible to rent an apartment on top of the payments I make monthly for loans and a car? If possible, what do you think I would be able to afford monthly for rent?
Hi Elizabeth,
Did you see our post about calculating your max. rent when work on an hourly basis. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/07/how-much-rent-can-i-afford-on-my-hourly-pay/. Using that chart your max. rent is $900. We run a rough budget using that and your other expenses, plus car insurance estimate and looks like you could make it. We like to see at least $200 a week left after fixed expenses for all your other costs and savings. Luckily, you are living in a low cost area so you should be able to a nice place for less than $900.
We left your second job out of the calculation. You should bank that money and start an emergency fund.
Because we don’t know your actual taxes and other paycheck deductions, you need to double check the budget. Good luck!
Elizabeth’s Budget:
Hours 40
Pay/hr $18.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $36,000
Est. taxes 20% ($7,200)
After tax take-home – $28,800
Per month take-home $2,400
Max. rent -$900
Utilities (20% of rent) -$180
Car Payment -$250
Car insurance -$150
Student Loan -$150
Cash after fixed exp. $770
Per week $193
Hello i am looking to rent a 2 bedroom apartmentnt preferably in va. I make 3550, it would be me and my two children. I’m trying to factor in the cost of having a apartment with a w/d in the unit as well as monthly utility cost
Hi Erica,
If that $3,550 is before tax, then your max. target rent is $3,550 x 12 divided by 40 = $1,065. If it is after tax, then it’s $3,550 x 0.35 = $1,243. Virginia is a pretty expensive housing market, so you may have to go to the $1,200 range to get a place big enough for you and the kids. Just make sure that before you sign the lease, you have included all your fixed monthly expenses in your budget. Kids are expensive (but so worth it!) Good luck!
Hello, I am looking into buying a apartment. I make $15 an hour and 22 overtime, I work 48 hours a week. Paid weekly, I’m looking at a apartment that’s $900 a month. I have no car payment right now but plan on getting one in the next year, phone bill around 100 a month, could you give me a ballpark of what my situation would be monthly
Hi Austin,
We assume you mean rent, not buy.
Looks like you’ll be able to handle $900 rent comfortably, even if you get a car. See below. We did not even factor in your overtime, because if could change and as long as you get it you can use it build an emergency fund. Make sure you have about $3,000 saved before you move to cover first rent payment, security and some basic furniture. Good luck!
Austin’s Budget:
Hours 48
Pay/hr $15.00
Total/yr (50 wks paid) $36,000
Est. taxes 20% ($7,200)
After tax take-home – $28,800
Per month take-home $2,400
Max. rent -$900
Utilities (20% of rent) -$180
Car Payment Est. -$250
Car insurance Est. -$150
Phone -$100
Cash after fixed exp. $820
Per week $205
Hi Alex,
First off I would like to begin by saying Happy New Year. I hope that this inquiry finds you well. I am soon going to be moving into my first apartment and I would like a second opinion on my calculated budget. My hourly is $18.82 (not including the guaranteed overtime im able to pull in or special details) and the rent will total $808 (trash/pest control included) w/o utilities included. I have a car payment of about $400…car insurance $181…cellular bill $173…student loan $113 do you think this is comfortably doable? Help!
80-90 hrs a month excluding overtime by the way
every two weeks (brain fart)
Hi Yaz,
It looks like you can do it, but it will be tight. See below. We calculated this on 80 hours every 2 weeks to leave you a little margin of safety with potential extra hours and overtime. You should try to save your overtime pay to build a real emergency fund. Good luck!
Yaz’s Budget:
Hours/every 2 weeks 80
Pay/hr $18.82
Total/yr. $39,146
Est. taxes 20% ($7,829)
After tax take-home – $31,316
Per month take-home $2,610
Max. rent -$808
Utilities (20% of rent) -$162
Car Payment -$400
Car insurance -$181
Phone -$173
Student Loan -$113
Cash after fixed exp. $773
Per week $193
Hi Alex,
I will be a first time renter and am not sure how to calculate my electricity bill. I will be renting a 2BR apartment that totals to 650 sq feet. The apartment is completely electric, including the stove. The company only pays for water, sewer, and garbage removal. Rent is $700/month split between two people. Both renters don’t plan on being home most of the time due to a busy schedule. I will also have a dog, which tacks on $50/month for me, totaling to $400/ month for myself. It would be really helpful to ballpark how much I can expect to pay for electricity!
Thanks and happy holidays!
Hi Alexis,
If you have radiator heat included in your rent, then your electric should be in the $75-$100 range for the apartment, double in summer if you live in the South. If you have electric heating then you’ll be looking at least $200 a month in winter. Check out this neat calculator from Lane Electric in Oregon that estimates the electricity usage of many appliances and household items, keeping in mind that the rate per kilowatt hour in your market may be different. Good luck!
Hello Alex! First off, happy holidays. I will soon be renting in a two bedroom apartment 679 square f. For $650. I only am required to pay for electricity.. here in Cleveland. I know that the stove is electric and there is a AC unit that I’ll probably use in the summer. Not now. Cable is not important to me however Internet is. I applied for renters insurance that was added on my car insurance for $17. I pay $153 for my phone bill and now will be paying $125 for auto/renters insurance. I pay around $20/ week for gas for my car and I haven’t really gotten an idea about how much for food since I’ve been living with my parents and always pack my lunch for work or eat at home.. barely ever dine in. I pay $15/week for cigarettes (bad habit) I’m not so sure how to add this all up especially with food exspences can you please help!
Hi Neenah,
It pains us to have to add $60 to your monthly bills for cigarettes. That’s $720 a year = a nice vacation! But your are an adult, so you make your choices. And it is good that you take that expense into account in your budgeting.
Based on the expenses you list, your monthly “nut” is about $1,500, before expenses for clothing, eating out, entertainment, etc. See below. You don’t say how much you make, but if your monthly take-home is over $2,000 you should be able to manage. You’ll need at least $2,000 in savings when you move to cover first rent, security deposit and other basic apartment costs. Good luck!
Neenah’s Budget:
Rent $650
Utilities (20%) $130
Car/renter’s insurance $125
Phone $153
Gas $80
Cigarettes $60
Groceries est. $75/week $300
Total $1,498
Hi Alex,
Very nice article you got here.
It seems to be helping a lot of people
I live in a smaller town called Davenport which is located in Iowa. I’ll be moving back to Illinois here in February. Recently acquired a job where I will be working a set 40 hrs a week making $22 plus on occasion I could earn up to additional $500 a month when I travel. I will be traveling up to two weeks at a time. I do have a low car payment around $200 plus some cc debt. Working on paying that off here soon.
I’ve ran numbers over and over as my math isn’t that good. I shouldn’t have any problem with paying my rent? It’s $465 a month with electricy and gas. Would love to get a nice high speed internet connection.
Thank you,
Hi Matthew,
Did you notice that we have another post, How Much Rent Can I Afford on My Hourly Pay, that calculates your maximum affordable rent based on your hours per week and your hourly rate. Based on the formula you can go as high as $1,100 in rent, so if you can get a place for $465, including gas and electric, you have an amazing deal. You can easily afford that high speed internet and still really boost your savings, including banking all your travel bonuses. You’ll be able to buy a place in a few years at this rate. Good Luck!
Is 2200$/month enough to rent out an apartment that 790$ /month living by myself. No utilities included.
Hi Rell,
If the $2,200 is after taxes, your formula max. rent at 35% of take-home is $770, so $795 is bit higher. It all depends what other obligations you have and what kind of lifestyle you have. Are you a frugal homebody? Do you like to hang out with friends in bars and restaurants? You have to decide if you can handle being “rent-burdened”. In any case, find out about the actual utilities before you sign up. Depending on where you live, they could easily add $150-200 to your housing costs.
If the $2,200 is before taxes, then your rent target is a lot less, in the $660 range, so $790 won’t work.
Good luck!
This article is worrying me. I live in Northern California. I work a minimum wage job around 25 hours a week, as I am also a part-time college student. I get paid bi-monthly and each paycheck pays $320-$375 (excluding tips). This means my monthly income is about $700. I have been searching for the cheapest 1b/1b or studio apartment to rent around my area for months now, and the lowest I can find is $450-$495. With the statistics provided and recommended calculations, I add $100 in utilities to the rent, making my monthly payments now $595. With food, toiletries, laundry, insurance, gas for my car, etc., I am now falling around $690, leaving me with $10, if that, for anything extra. I am already very frugal with money, material items, food, and other factors that could raise any monthly payments and I am willing to set my frugality level even higher in order to pay my bills.
I used the Affordable Rent Calculator as recommended several times in the comments, but it just made me angry and discouraged. It said my affordable monthly rent would be around $240 for my monthly income. That is unbelievable. I will never find that price anywhere. I expect to find a second job to cover my expenses a little more solid, but for now I am convinced I simply cannot afford to live on my own!
I want to move out and live by myself. I have been saving up for the past 9+ months and I have close to $5,250 in my bank account as cushion. I have been preparing myself for the responsibility of renting a place to live on my own. I refuse to live with a roommate or to rent out a room, so my average monthly spending will be based on me and only me. I know I can live without many luxuries and I am willing to live on the bare minimum of survival, but I am unsure that is even possible at this point.
I guess I am just curious for any advice/tips. What are ways to lower my utility bills? Or is my economic status OK for my personal lifestyle right now (I keep to myself, take classes out at the college, work 5-6 days a week, and do not require much pampering besides basic hygiene and food)?
Here are some extra facts, if helpful: I have a very good habit of shutting off lights after I’m done using them, and I have gotten used to hardly using them at all in the first place. During the winter I don’t plan on using heating too much, as there are other ways to keep warm without raising the thermostat, and same, but vice versa, goes for summer. I don’t have too much of a social life, so eating out or spending money on useless things for other people (or even myself) is not likely to happen often. I don’t want cable, I am on my families Netflix plan (so my parents will continue paying for that), I don’t have a phone and do not require one, thus do not have a monthly phone bill, but I need internet. Anything anyone has to say would be extremely appreciated!!
I work 25-30 hours a week**
Hi, Mary. The only thing I can tell you that would help a lot is to get a different job. Not a minimum-wage job. Work as a waitress, they make great money in busy restaurants, work in a retail store, they usually pay more the bigger they are. Or, you could work in a factory, or assembly-line type job. They are boring, but they will usually pay quite a bit. Hope I’ve helped. You really don’t want to get two jobs when you could just get a completely new job and be fine! Good luck :)
I live with my father in a house built in the mid 60s we are just over a mile from Microsoft original HQ there are new studios near me going for almost sixteen hundred a month
Hi Mary,
The sad fact of life is that not everyone can afford a place of their own. If you live in a high rent area and make minimum wage, you cannot do it. That’s why many (most) young people in your situation start with a roommate share. Your biggest problem will not be utilities. It will be that the rent is unaffordable on your pay.
On the bright side, you have saved a very nice nest egg that would serve as safety cushion. Just do not waste those savings to pay your rent. As long as you can stay with your parents continue saving, and wait to move until your salary moves up. You are going to school so it will happen sooner than you think. Good luck!
Hey i have a question i make $15.50 a hour. I work 30-40 hours aweek. I want to move in to a two bed room apartment the apartments are like $800-900 a month where i live at. should i go somebody cheaper but not so nice area
Hi Shantel,
Did you check out our post https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/07/how-much-rent-can-i-afford-on-my-hourly-pay/?
Based on that chart, at 30 hour week and $15.50 rate, your max. rent is between $563-$600. We don’t recommend getting a place based on your highest hours, because you risk running short in months when the hours are lower. $800-$900 rent is even too much at steady 40 hours. If you don’t have many other big monthly bills (car payments, credit cards, student loans, childcare, etc.) and you are good managing money, you could push it to $700 – hope you can find something nice at that level. And do you really need a 2BR? Maybe you can get a great 1BR in a good area within your budget. Good luck!
Great article. We’re looking into 1 bedroom apartments averaging 600 a month in an area with all four seasons. No utilities included, we have Netflix, etc. instead of cable. What does a water utility bill typically cost for a small apartment?
Hi Kay,
Did you see this post https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/03/budgeting-apartment-utility-costs/
The water bill will be probably in the $25-$35 range.
Hi. I am looking into an apartment in St Paul MN. $850 per month rent (all utilities included except electric)
Here is what I figure:
Rent- $850
Electric- $50
Internet- $45
Tv- none
Groceries- $250 (my son, SO, and I)
Phone- $50
Gas (car)- $45
All added up- $1290
I bring home $1700 per month, leaving me $410 to wiggle with from household essentials (toilet paper, personal care, etc…) to entertainment/emergency expenses.
By my hopeful move in date I will have $2500 saved for move in expenses. I don’t mind living in a tight budget for a while, as my wages will increase next year.
Does this seem doable?
Hi Skylie,
It does look extremely tight, especially with a child. Our formula for your max. rent is $1,700 * 0.35 = $595, so you are looking at $255 more a month.
Have you included all your fixed expenses on the list? I don’t see car loan or insurance payment, credit card payments or child care. Also, your grocery budget is only about $20 a week per person, so we hope you are a frugal shopper and cook. Are you eligible for any food assistance, at least for the child?
That said, if your living situation currently is such that you feel you have to move, we’d like you to continue saving a little longer so that you’ll have at least $1,000 emergency fund after all your moving expenses, first month’s rent and security deposit. Meanwhile, continue to look at places with lower rent. Good luck!
very helpful. thank you. takes away a certain amount of stress from me now. but i am curious on the average cost to turn my lights on in my first apartment
Hi Brandon,
Check out this post reporting the results of our utility cost surveys.
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/03/budgeting-apartment-utility-costs/
Hope this helps. Good luck with your new apartment!
reality check: where I live it costs a minimum of $20 in delivery charges and that was for 3 cents worth of gas one month. When I saw that bill I knew I could much better benefit by using that $20 per month towards my electric bill. So I switched to small electric appliances and turned off the gas as it had become rather supufluous.
Thoughtful analysis . I loved the insight ! Does anyone know where my business could possibly acquire a template NY RR-2A document to type on ?
Im doing research for a math assignment
Hi Drew,
Water bill just like your electric bill is based on usage. Check this post for average water bills from our utility cost surveys. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2016/03/budgeting-apartment-utility-costs/
Good luck for your math assignment!
how much is the water bill
I live in northern California and my 1 bedroom 700 sq ft apt rent is $2,600, PGE energy/gas is $38, water is $55, cable/internet $80 = $2,773/month. Food bill is huge here for organic and fresh, about $800. Then you have car ins & maintenance, gas, registration fees, professional membership fees, health club dues, hair, nails, spas, massages, acupuncture, chiropractor, thank you gifts, eating out, etc.
Well based on your idea of what typical monthly expenses are I doubt utility bills are high on your list of concerns. Don’t forget your monthly spiritual guide fee as well as your chakra alingments too, those bills can really add up.
I actually laughed out loud, haha.
That’s alot of money for just rent holy shit. Especially just a one bedroom that’s nuts…
Love this post, thinking about moving out in the fall by myself. I make 12.50 an hour and the apartment that Im looking into is 470 (very cheap for a great area, its just very small) is this do able for me ?? thank you so much for the helpful post
Great post ….
One thing is also very important that you should never be late on any of these bills / utilities…. or that will affect your credit history negatively. So Always pay on time and budget well… Thx
Hi there.
I am planning to move out for the first time and i have no clue what i am doing or what i can afford. My salary is $55000 a year. After tax i take home about $2800 a month. All of my other expenses are about $750-$800 a month (car,insurance,gas,phone,food) that leaves me with about $2000 a month. I do have a great savings but I do not want to dip into that often. What is your recommendations?
Thanks!
Hi David,
First, you are one lucky guy to have landed a high paying job and also have great savings. You are on the right track!
A typical landlord would approve you for up to $1,375 a month apartment. If you check our Affordable Rent Calculator https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2015/09/rent-calculator/ you’ll also see that on your after tax pay you could spend up to $980 (see below). The big difference in the numbers is that you get about 40% taken out of salary in deductions, which probably include a hefty contribution to 401K.
You could easily afford to spend a $1,200 a month on housing (rent and utilities) and still have $800 left discretionary expenses. If that will get you a place you’ll be happy to come home to after work, go for it. Even if you have to go up a bit to get the perfect place, you can afford it.
Now, here’s another consideration. If you are planning to buy your own place in the foreseeable future, you may want to live below your means for a couple of years as a renter and get your own place sooner. Either way, you are in a very good shape for getting your first apartment. Good luck!
Do you have an annual salary? No
Do you get paid weekly? No
Do you get paid every other week or twice a month? Yes
What was your after-tax pay last pay period?
$1,400
Previous pay period?
$1,400
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,800
Affordable Monthly Rent: $980
Estimated Utilities: $196
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $1,176
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,940
If you recently gothat this job, hold off on moving out if you can. Keep saving. If you need to move out, do so as low as possible. Don’t listen to this affordable rent costs. That was made up over 20 years ago and the dollar isn’t worth the same. Just because you have it doesn’t mean you should spend it nor give it away by paying someone else rent to live in their place, ie pay for their investment. After you have saved, buy a nice home and be aggressive with offer. Find a place that is up and coming or a revitalized area about to have a makeover by buying old places and remodeling. Checkout first time home buyer program. You would qualify for some stuff. Good luck on your endeavors. What kind of work do you do?
I am planning to buy a house and i have 2 available house for sale, one has a thermal solar and the other doesn’t have and i have to pay home owner association of 203. I am trying to compare this 2 houses based on electrical bill, what is the average of electrical for a 4 BR houses in NY
This was incredibly useful. Thank you!
Hi! I’m looking at a condo that is $85,000. I am a waitress and I make about 2,000 a month. My boyfriend (who will also be living with me) has a min. wage job. Would this be doable for us?
Hi Katie,
The best way to find out if you can afford the condo is to meet with a bank loan officer (preferably at the bank where you already have accounts) who will review your finances, credit rating work history, etc. and let you know how much of a mortgage you could qualify for.
If you want to get a rough idea of your monthly payments, use a mortgage calculator like this one from bankrate.com to estimate your monthly payment. Then add to it your estimated property taxes, mortgage insurance — if you put down less than 20% — your homeowner’s association fees and your homeowner’s insurance. Those added to your mortgage payment give your total monthly expense. That total amount should be not exceed roughly 35% of your income, assuming you have no other major debts. In your case that would be about $700 a month.
Also keep in mind that in addition to the down payment, you will have to save money for the closing costs that can add up to several thousand dollars. Check out our sister site http://www.myfirstcondo.com for more information about buying a condo.
Good luck! Let us know what the loan officer says.
This is bogus… Tiping a doorman $50-$100 ? You must have a $10,000 a month rent apartment to come with a bellhop that needs $50-$100 a day.
Hi Jose,
It would be ridiculous if it were a daily tip, but what we were mentioning is the typical holiday gratuity for a doorman. If they take your packages all year long, escort you to the elevator when you have had a a few beers too many and give you a heads-up when an old girlfriend suddenly shows up, you’ll be happy to remember them at Christmas time.
So it’s more like $50-$100 a year
Yes.
My rent is 510$ a month for a 1 bed 1 bath and i also have to pay for water, sewer,trash, and electricity how much do u think I will have to pay a month in utilities
Hi Mikhail,
Check out the results of our utility cost survey
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2015/08/average-utility-bill-survey/
Water is usually included in rent in Northern states and only billed separately in the South and West.
Hope this survey is helpful.
I was looking for the average cost of water for a two bedroom two person Apartment home in Leesburg va area. Water costs aren’t listed here as a utility bill at all.
Hi Teresa,
Check out the results of our utility cost survey
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2015/08/average-utility-bill-survey/
Water is usually included in rent in Northern states and only billed separately in the South and West.
Hope this survey is helpful.
I am working for mim, wage in New York right now. After taxes I take home about 1160 each month, I am looking at an apartment for $795 (water, trash, free parking, lawn care/snow removal included) and plan on splitting it with another person making the same as me, is it going to work okay?
Hi there That sounds like agreat idea to share when you work for Min. wage.Its unfortunate that Min. wage is so low in this country but it seems like its getting higher w. the $15 NOW movements. GoodLuck !
Hi Alyssa,
Our maximum affordable rent calculator https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2015/09/rent-calculator/
says your number with your combined take-home incomes is $812, so you should be able to manage $795. See the calculation below.
Good luck!
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,320
Affordable Monthly Rent: $812
Estimated Utilities: $162
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $974
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,436
Hi! After taxes I’m making $2422, I have no loans and no other payments. I’m looking at chicago apartments- the one I am looking at is 1045, with heat and water included. I have a puppy so lets say I spend $125 a month on her, is that rent doable?
Hi Lindsay,
That apartment is almost $200 more than our recommended maximum rent on your salary. See below. If you stretch so much, you will not have much money left over for necessities (food, clothing, commuting, etc.) or fun activities with friends. We’d recommend you keep on looking.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
What was your after-tax pay last pay period?
$2,422
Previous pay period?
$0
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,422
Affordable Monthly Rent: $848
Estimated Utilities: $170
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $1,018
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,544
Hi,
I’m making a 40k annual salary and I am looking at an apartment that is $1100/month with heat and hot water included. I have a phone bill of $100 and student loans of $150/ month. I do not have any car payments and I do not pay for the car insurance. This will also be a apartment in a highly rent city. Is this doable?
Hi JR,
I think that is completely doable. Your net income per month would be about $2300 so your rent alone would be about 48% of your monthly income which is not great, but it’s doable. If you include your bills, you’d have about $1000 left over every month to use on groceries and anything else. I think you’re in a good a spot because you do not have a car payment, insurance, etc. Try using this monthly expense calculator to get better insight on your comfort level if you chose this apartment: http://monthlyexpensecalculator.com/
Good luck!
Maria (UDA)
I had a family member lied to me and tell me the bill was $800 a month to cheat me out of money when the price to run a hundred watt light bulb is pennies a day this was just a mean rotten spirited person who tried to make my world turn the darkness by denying me lights she cheated me in several different ways also forging my name on documents it costed me to go into foreclosure is this is my sister!!!!!!!!! But I believe what goes around comes around and she get all her rotten deeds back!!!!
Hello,
I am starting a nursing job and will be making 60,000 a near before taxes. I did the 30% rule for rent which put me at $1140 after taxes, I would be “taking home” $3,800 each month. I am trying to estimate what everything will cost and it is getting really overwhelming.
More so because I found the BEST apartment right by work, rooftop deck, work out facility in the building, free coffee every morning, in the most sought after location near the city. There are two options a $1190 (smaller) or a $1345 (way bigger) apartment and parking is $65. They pay water/sewer/trash. Is this even feasible to consider at my income? I would love to hear back on your ideas.
Hi Megan,
First, congratulations for picking a field that pays so well and has plenty of jobs available.
If you check our Affordable Rent Calculator, the maximum affordable rent on your annual salary is $1,500/mo. or $1,330/mo. if you run the formula on your after-tax monthly take-home pay of $3,800. So, it looks like even the bigger apartment is doable. Of course, if you have unusually high other expenses or student loan payments, you might opt to go with the smaller place. When you run our easy formula, you’ll see that it also estimates your utilities and the amount you should save before you move in.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi. I’m making a 40K salary and am looking to move into an apartment in the Hamilton, NJ area. The apartment I am interested in is all electric (stove and heat) and has a washer/dryer unit. The base rent is $965 for a 750 sqft apartment (1 bedroom). Snow, trash, sewer, and I believe water, are paid by the landlord. How much should I estimate for utilities? Thank you for your help!
Hi Melissa,
We use a rough rule of thumb that your utilities (electric, internet, cable, etc.) run about 20% of your rent. See our average utility cost survey results from last summer here.
However, electric heating in a cold climate could bring the cost higher in the coldest months. Much depends also on the type of construction of your apartment; is it a drafty old building vs. new, well-insulated building. Your best bet is to contact your local electric utility for an estimate or even better find out what the previous tenant paid.
Here is a link to the Con Edison’s (NYC utility) electricity cost estimator.http://www.coned.com/customercentral/calculators/EC_res_Appliance_Calculator.html. Your utility probably has something similar.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi, I’m doing a financial lit project, so I wanted to know what would the water bill and the trash bill cost? and would the laundry and the dishwasher include in the water bill?
Hi Steven,
Did you see the results of our utility cost survey here. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2015/08/average-utility-bill-survey/.
If you have washing machine in your apartment, then your laundry and dishwasher usage would be part of your water bill. If there is a separate laundry room in the building, then typically you pay for each load with coins or prepaid card.
Hope that is helpful. MFA Editors.
Hey, I’m looking to move out net is 2200 a month what’s a feesible rent per month no utlities? Car payment and insurance is 580 cell 115…
Hi Teniqua,
Check out our rent calculator. https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2015/09/rent-calculator/. See below what it shows for your income.
Take $2,200 less est. rent+utilities $924 = $1,276 left after housing less $580 less $115 = $581 a month to cover all your other expenses (commuting, food, clothing, entertainment, etc.). You would be safer to target rent at a level that will leave you at least $800 a month after housing and your high car & phone payments. Is $600/mo. rent doable in your area? If you go higher than that, make sure you have saved a little emergency fund before moving. Good luck from the MFA Team!
Affordable Rent Calculator
Click below to open calculator.
Do you have an annual salary? Yes No
Do you get paid weekly? Yes No
Do you get paid every other week or twice a month? Yes No
What was your after-tax pay last pay period?
$2,200
Previous pay period?
$0
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,200
Affordable Monthly Rent: $770
Estimated Utilities: $154
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $924
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,310
Hi so I’m think about moving out in September I roughly make 1150 a month I added up my expenses and I wanted to know if it would be doable:
Rent:550 included water, trash, heat, gas
Electric:45 to 50
Cable(Netflix and Hulu) 16
Phone bill:50
Gas:100 (doubt I’ll spend that much)
Wifi: 45 to 50
Food: my mom said she would help
Car insurance: I’m on my grandad insurance and it’s not much so he pays it
I don’t have much of a social life work and school keeps me busy so I’m not to worried about having money to go out but if my math is right I’ll still have about 330 saved a month
Hi Khaila,
You’ll have $11 a day for all your other expenses. It seems cutting things far too close. We want you to have a great first apartment experience, not just sit at home alone eating Ramen. Consider a roommate share and try to save for a few months more to build an emergency fund.
Good luck from the MFA Team.
Hi! I make $2,332 per month, what can I afford? I do have a lot of bills, my cell phone is around $150, my car payment is $300, I also have a TV payment of $75, and childcare is $225 monthly. This is not including gas/groceries. Is it feasible for me to move into my own apartment? What could I afford?
Thank you!
Hi Jana,
If you run our Rent Calculator, it tells that your max. rent is $816 on your pay (assuming your $2332 is after taxes.) With est. utilities, the monthly housing cost will be $979. Add that to your other fixed expenses and you only have $603 left a month to cover all your other expenses. It looks too low, considering that you also have a child. However, if you can find a place in the $600-650 monthly rent range, about $750 with utilities, you probably could handle it.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,332
Affordable Monthly Rent: $816
Estimated Utilities: $163
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $979
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,448
“Me, my roommate, and her were all using one forty-five-dollar signal.” Try “She, my roommate and I were all using….”
Allie, you must be an English teacher. As hard as they try English teachers can not overlook mistakes. (Please don’t correct my grammar)
Nevertheless, the article has useful information, well laid-out, and easy to read.
“cannot”
“Cannot” and “can not” are both acceptable in the Oxford dictionary. So she isn’t really 100% wrong for using it.
Me & my boyfriend & our 9 month old are about to move in together. The apartment we found is $599 w/o utilities & he makes about 2000 a month. Do you think we would be able to make it & still have a little extra .
Hi Nita,
See below what our Affordable Rent Calculator estimates for you. It says that you should be able to afford a $599 rental and still have money left over for baby food and diapers. However, make sure you get a good estimate of your utilities. If heat is included in rent, you should be OK. If not, depending on where you live and how well insulated the apartment is, winter heating bills could make your budget tight.
Good luck to all of you from the MFA Team.
What was your after-tax pay last pay period?
$1,000
Previous pay period?
$1,000
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,000
Affordable Monthly Rent: $700
Estimated Utilities: $140
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $840
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,100
you really should not be ”living together with someone” outside of wedlock, that is wrong and is greivous sin that only immoral people do that sort of thing, again it’s very wrong and will never last, compared to real marriage., in regard to winter utilities, its smarter to tape off floor vents if you have gas heat and just heat your TV / sleeping room to save money, it may also be cheaper to use a electric heater for one room and not even fool with gas heat for dec jan and feb.
It really isn’t any of your business who people live with its a sin to do everything now a days. Listen just stick to the question and don’t try to throw all your religion mumbo jumbo on everyone. Your not here to counsel folks. Goodbye
It’s also a sin to judge! Gtfo.
Hi,
My boyfriend and I plan on living together for the first time. I bring home roughly 1800 a month after taxes, and he also brings home the same amount. We are looking at a place for $950 with no utilities living in Philly. I also have a car note in the high 3’s. My car insurance is paid up. Do you think this is affordable? thanks
Hi Court,
Check out our Rent Affordability Calculator.
It shows that $950 rent is well withing your range (see below), even if you have to pay for all your utilities. With $950 rent you should be able to pay your car note and also build a 3-6 month emergency fund.
Good luck with your new apartment!
Total per 2 pay period month: $3,600
Affordable Monthly Rent: $1,260
Estimated Utilities: $252
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $1,512
Target Savings To Move Out: $3,780
Here is a great place to find out what your monthly utilities will cost. http://monthlyutilities.com/
Thanks Matt,
Also, check out this chart http://www.duke-energy.com/pdfs/appliance_opcost_list_duke_v8.06.pdf by Duke Energy, keeping in mind that your cost per kilowatt hour (kWh) is probably more than their estimate of 8.2 cents. In NYC we are paying 25.8 cents.
Hey there! I make about $680-$700 bi-weekly after taxes are taken out and am currently searching apartments. I have a cell phone bill of $46 and car insurance that is $80 a month. I spend about $75 a month on gas and have no other expenses coming out. I do expect to pay for all utilities, but won’t need cable. What price range would be suitable for an apartment with comfortable savings monthly? I’m interested in one that is $583-$611 monthly I’m starting my budget this month and any info would help:)
Hi Thetwinbin,
See below what our Affordable rent calculator says. You are looking at places that are out of your comfortable range. If you start spending close to half of your take-home pay on rent, you don’t have much leeway. Having your own apartment is great to have, but if it means having no money for going out with your friends once in a while, it gets to be a drag. Look for places that are under $500 and you’ll have a much better first apartment experience. Good luck from the MFA Team!
Total per 2 pay period month: $1,380
Affordable Monthly Rent: $483
Estimated Utilities: $97
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $580
Target Savings To Move Out: $1,449
Hello, I make about 2100 a month after taxes and am looking at getting a 1 bedroom for $750 only utility I would pay is electricity. Only other bills I have is $30 cellphone bill and $50 of car insurance. No car payment since I own my own vehicle. Would you consider this affordable?
Hi Bryan,
Did you check out our Rent Affordability calculator? The results are below.
Your rent is a bit higher than recommended, but your utilities will be lower and your other expenses are low, so you should be ok.
Good luck with your new apartment from the MFA Team!
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,100
Affordable Monthly Rent: $735
Estimated Utilities: $147
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $882
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,205
HI
I am looking to rent an apartment here in Cincinnati. I make $1,160 before taxes bi weekly. The apartment I’m looking at is 3 bedroom at 600/month plus utilities. I have a 7 yr old and also have a baby on the way in June. I am pretty good about not using a ton of heat (I’m usually always hot). But air conditioning may be an issue. Internet is a must, and cable would be nice. Could I afford something like this??
Hi Jharell,
See below what our Rent Affordability Calculator tells you.
Based on the formula, $600 should be doable for you, even if you have to pay for heat during winter months. (Unless you are renting a poorly insulated house.) You cannot skimp on heat with a 7-year old and getting a cold while pregnant is not healthy, either! Making room in your budget for 2 kids will make it tight, so hopefully you get some support for the kids expenses.
Do you have an annual salary? Yes
What is your annual salary? $30,160 ($1,160*26 paychecks a year)
Affordable Monthly Rent: $754
Estimated Utilities: $151
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $905
Target Savings To Move Out: $2,262
Good luck to you and the kid(s) from the MFA Team!
Hi
My girlfriend and I are both looking at a place for 800 a month with no utilities. I make 2000 monthly after taxes. She makes closer to 900. I also pay a 300 dollar car payment with hers only 175. Other than gas/groceries we will only have Internet. The heating in the northern winter is what is having us worry.
However, this place is much nicer than the alternative(850 with utilities included). The luxury vs affordability question is in play. What do you think?
Jeremy
Hi Jeremy,
Did you check out our affordable rent calculator?https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2015/09/rent-calculator/
Here’s how your numbers look like:
Total per 2 pay period month: $2,900
Affordable Monthly Rent: $1,015
Estimated Utilities: $203
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $1,218
Target Savings To Move Out: $3,045
Your rent is $200 below your maximum affordable, so even with higher utilities (if you have to pay for heat) you should be OK. Ask for an estimate of the monthly heating bill. Your combined car payments are pretty high, but even with that you will still have over $1,000 a month after your housing and other fixed costs.
Go with the nicer place, looks like you can afford it. And good luck from the MFA Team.
I am planning to rent a condo for $1500 a month, internet and water are included but I have to pay the rest. I make about $4000.00 after tax a month.
is that doable ?
Hi Jake,
Using our Affordable Rent Calculator, your maximum rent should not be more than $1,400. See below. However, your utilities will most likely be less, unless you are living in a very cold part of the country and use electric heat, so you should be able to handle $1,500 rent plus all utilities comfortably.
You also have a relatively high income and plenty of money left over after housing costs for all your other expenses.
Good luck with your new apartment from the MFA Team!
Total per 2 pay period month: $4,000
Affordable Monthly Rent: $1,400
Estimated Utilities: $280
Maximum Affordable Housing Expense: $1,680
Target Savings To Move Out: $4,200
Hello,
Me and my girlfriend are looking to get our first apartment sometime soon. I’ve found a place where rent is $560 a month w/o utilities. We’re not going to have cable since we use netflix anyways. My car insurance is $160 a month. My phone bill is $80 a month. Internet would be roughly $50 a month. Plus we have a baby on the way. I was wondering what i should expect my monthly payments to be.
Hi Robert,
Because utilities vary so much from region to region, we are just using 20% of rent as a rough estimate. In your case that would be $112 a month, including internet. (Take a look at this graphic to see how utility costs vary across the country.)
If you just add up rent, estimated utilities plus car and phone payments, you monthly “fixed nut” is $560+$112+$160+80 = $912. You need to also budget for gas, food, clothing, and baby supplies. Before the baby arrives, also check out this post on how to prepare your apartment for your little bundle of joy.
Good luck to all of you from the MFA Team!
Hello,
I’m a first time renter. I’m seriously considering a townhouse that is $850 per month. Using your rule of thumb, I’d probably spend around $170 on utilities (mainly electricity, water, gas, and internet). I get paid bi-weekly and my last two paychecks combined was roughly ~2,300. If I go for this townhouse, that’d leave me with roughly ~1,300 after rent and utilities. Does this sound reasonable? I want to err on the higher end for utilities, especially electric. Thanks!
Hi Kellie,
Sorry that you had trouble with the affordable rent calculator. If that happens again, try another browser, such as Firefox.
$1,300 after housing certainly sounds like it should be enough, but only you know your other fixed payments, i.e., car, student loan, credit cards, etc. Do the double check by deducting all your other payments from the $1,300 and see if you can live on the amount that is left over and put a little something into savings.
Good luck! MFA Team
Hi, so my gf and I are trying to move into our 1st apartment. I make about $2,064 before taxes. After all car insurance, car payment, and phone leaves me with 1,499. My gf makes about $1144 before taxes. We are giving ourselves a max rent cap of $1150/ month. Would we be able to afford the maximum cap w/o utilities. Keeping in mind were just outside of Boston.
My roommate and I make about 3,100$ combined, we found an apartment for 750 a month w/o utilities. Would we be able to afford this?
Hi Ivy, the answer is yes, you two can afford $750.
We have just published a post with calculator that lets you input your income and then gives you three numbers: 1.) Your maximum affordable rent 2.) Your maximum affordable housing cost, including utilities and 3.) Amount of savings you need to get that rental. In your case, you start with your combined annual pre-tax salaries ($3,100 * 12 = $37,200) and the three numbers you get are: max. rent $930, max.housing $1,116 and savings target $2,790.
Why don’t you test the calculator yourself and let us know how it worked out! Good luck from the MFA Team
Hi we found a townhome for $580 a month includes water,sewer,and trash. I make around $650-750 every two weeks and my fiancé makes 200-300 every two weeks.
Car payment we have is 266 a month and insurance 178. Phone bills are around 180. We also have a baby.
Hi Fred
We have just published a We have just published a post with calculator that lets you input your income and then gives you three numbers: 1.) Your maximum affordable rent 2.) Your maximum affordable housing cost, including utilities and 3.) Amount of savings you need to get that rental. In your case, you start with your combined average monthly after-tax pays of $1,900 and the three numbers you get are: max. rent $665, max.housing $798 and savings target $1,995. You do have high other payments and obligations, so do the double-check with your actual expenses. $1,900 – $580 (your actual rent) – $116 (est. utilities) – $266 – $178 – $180 = $580 left for other expenses. That’s $145 a week. Can you survive on that, including all of the baby’s expenses? (By the way, your phone bills look high. Try to find a better plan.)
Why don’t you test the calculator yourself and let us know how it worked out! Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi, I wanted to know a good estimate on what i would be paying monthly for an apartment. My boyfriend and I are new to this thing. So we have alot of questions.. Is there a way I can contact you?
Hi Brie,
You are in luck! We have just published a post with calculator that lets you input your income and then gives you three numbers: 1.) Your maximum affordable rent 2.) Your maximum affordable housing cost, including utilities and 3.) Amount of savings you need to get that rental.
Why don’t you test the calculator out and let us know how it works for you. You can always contact us by email to [email protected]
Good luck from the MFA Team!
I have been living with my parents and thinking about moving out. I make about 2300 after taxes every month, and found an apartment that is 750 with no utilities included in the KCMO area. But I’m already not planning on paying for cable, because I mainly use Netflix anyway. I would be commuting to work, but have a car with awesome gas mileage, so I would probably spend about 100 dollars a month on gas. would I be able to afford this?
Hi Janessa,
The basic formula for maximum affordable rent of 35% of your take-home pay calculates you max.rent of $805. $750 should be OK, as you don’t seem to have any unusually high expenses. Figure an amount equal to 20% of rent for utilities, or $150, making your total housing cost $900/month, leaving you $1,400 for all other expense.
Good luck from the MFA Team.
Ridiculous!!!! If this is your first apartment, you DON’T need luxuries!! You need rent, utilities, Transportation money, and food! You don’t need a doorman, you don’t need renter’s insurance, you don’t need cable. You don’t even need internet. If it’s just you, a studio apartment with utilities included is more than sufficient. Get over yourselves. Doorman, pfft!!!
What I find hilarious is that most landlords require you to make 3x more than the monthly rent. This is a stupid rule. What I do with my money is my business. All they should be concerned about is the rent being paid. If I want to live on $100/month after rent and utilities are paid, that’s my decision. Grant it, no one wants to live that way, but people do, I imagine. Why does it matter so much if a prospective tenant makes 3x the rent? That’s a bit excessive. Here’s a good example: right now I am interested in an $1100/month apartment including all utilities. I make just over $2500/month. That leaves me with $1400 per month after the rent is paid. I have a car payment, car insurance, gas, food, and a couple of small monthly payments. Even after that’s all said and done, I never blow through $1400/month. So, why wouldn’t I be qualified income wise for said apartment? All you need to care about is tht first $1100 of my monthly income for rent. Obviously I can pay the rent! Why so stringent requirements just to rent a damned apartment? Most people don’t make 3x the rent. not all property managers and landlords have this requirement, but most do.
Income requirements, credit checks, etc. is it all really necessary?
I’m not sure, but I think I just fell in love with this website. :-D I wish I knew about this with my first apartment. Still helps now though, because I’m still poor (albeit, less poor than a few years ago. lol)
Hello i have an 8 month old and i make about 2,000 a month what should i be looking at for ranges in rent? I was thinking $750 no utilities included. Would i be able to affors this?
Hi Susan,
$750 will be tight, especially with the extra necessary expenses the baby adds to your budget. The basic formula for max. affordable rent is 35% of take-home pay. In your case that would be $700 and you need to estimate another $120-$150 for typical utilities. With the baby you cannot skimp on utilities, either, the apartment must have heat and light. If you can find a place where only utilities you have to pay are electric and internet (no cable TV), then you could afford that higher rent.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
hi i’m doing a moving out thing with school and i just needed some help with what i might need or are the payments for the week
Hi Sophie,
Start with these two lists.
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2014/02/first-apartment-budgeting-basics-your-monthly-expense-checklist/
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2013/05/things-you-need-for-your-first-apartment/
Just keep in mind that this is for US and some items may not apply in Australia.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Im planning on renting an apartment with a friend for 620 a month without ultilities (Electricity, heat, etc.). We both make roughly 800 per month after taxes. Is it possible to live off this? Also being considerate about power consumption and such… Thanks
Hi Mark,
It seems too tight for your incomes. Take a look at our recent utility cost survey. If your electric and internet/cable will run at least $60 each and if heat is not included in rent, your utilities will easily exceed $200 a month. This would mean more than half of your take-home pays goes to housing, leaving your less than $100 a week for commuting, food and all your other expenses.
Continue saving and try to find ways to boost your incomes.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hello, I am a recent graduate who just moved to Chicago. I just got approved for an apartment that is $1195, gas and electric not included. I have to factor in internet and renter’s insurance as well. I will be making about $3000 a month after taxes. This will be the first time I will be living on my own and I have never had to pay any sort of bills. Your article was super informative! I am just wondering if this was doable?
Hi Hoang,
You should be fine, just make sure you build an emergency fund as soon as you can.
Check out this list of typical monthly expenses when you live on your own.
https://www.myfirstapartment.com/2014/02/first-apartment-budgeting-basics-your-monthly-expense-checklist/
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi! I am a student in Tallahassee, FL and I am planning on getting an apartment next year as a junior in college. With 3 colleges, Tallahassee is a college town so there are plenty of apartments made for student housing with single person leases. I would be paying for the apartment with my school scholarship that allows $2500 for housing a semester which totals $5000 an entire year. I could also potentially be bringing in an extra $300 a month during school months with an on campus job so I wanted to know what my bottom line monthly budget should be including rent, utilities, and cable/internet.
Hi Tyana,
Can you find something that rents in the $300 a month range. That would leave you enough room to pay for electric, est. $50, internet, est. $20-30, and possibly another $40 for water and garbage collection, because you are in Florida. Skip cable TV, you cannot afford it. Use the campus job as an emergency fund, not to pay for a rental you would not otherwise afford.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hello! I make about 2500-3000 a month and my best friend makes 2000-2500 a month (after tax). We’re looking at an apartment listed at $1000/mo. Heat is included. We pay electric, and the landlord pays other utilities. We each pay about $30 commute to the city for work. Would we be able to afford this, or should we be looking at a lower rent cost?
Hi Katherine,
With your combined monthly income of $4,500 you could easily afford a $1,000 rental. It costs you less than a quarter of your income, so you’ll be in good shape to cover all your other expenses, too. Check out this post to estimate your electricity costs.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
I make about 2500 a month after tax. I live in the NJ/NY area and am looking to move out within a year. I have to pay up to $600 in student loans a month, as well as $200+/month for commuting into the city where I work. What sort of rent price range should I be looking for, and is it even possible to find? Thanks.
Hi Reina,
NYC landlords are tough. They want you to have an annual salary of 40 times your rent. If you make $2500 after tax your salary is probably about $3000 a month or $36,000 a year, which would qualify you for an apartment that rents for $900. Alternatively, you’d need to find someone to guarantee your rent. That person needs to have an annual income of 80 times the rent.
In your case you also have the high student loans in the equation. If you’d find a $900 apartment, plus pay about $100 in utilities, you would have $900 after your loan and about $700 after commuting. It seems like that should be enough, especially with all the free activities and entertainment available in NYC. You’ll most likely end up with a roommate share somewhere in Brooklyn or Queens, but the commute will be still better than from NJ.
Good luck from the MFA Team.
I am looking into an apartment for $525 a month. I bring in 800-900 a month and my roommate brings in roughly 1500. Could we manage this? What would our estimated costs including utilities be split evenly?
Hi Timothy,
You two can certainly afford the $525 rent and another $100 in utilities, or more if you have to pay for water and garbage collections in addition to electric and internet.
If you split the rent and utilities evenly, let’s say about $325 each/month, you’ll still have about $500 left for all your other expenses. Your roommate will have about $1,200 left, so there will be a big disparity in what each of you could afford for entertainment and other discretionary expenses. Budgetwise, you are both OK, as long as you’ll feel comfortable to say no when your roomie wants to do something you cannot afford.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hello, me and my roommate are looking at an apartment for $775 a month, without any utilities included. I make about 1200 a month as does my roommate. With 2400 a month after taxes, would we be able to afford it? We also will be spending about $150 each on gas. How much extra money do you think we would have to save each month? Would this be doable? Thank you for your time.
Hi Kevin,
First, check out this posts about actual utility costs. You should plan to pay an amount equal to about 18% of your rent or $140 for your utilities, even more if you live in the South or Southwest.
Overall, it looks like you should be able to handle your rent, utilities and gas, with close to $150 left per week for each of you for savings and other expenses. You should be able to save at least $50 a month, as long as you avoid high-maintenance girlfriends!
Good luck from the MFA Team
Hi, me and my roommate are looking for an apartment at about $800 dollars a month. All utilities are included. I make $750 a month and my roommate makes $800 a month. We also both pay about $160 a month on gas money. He seems confident we would be able to make it by and save a bit, but im not so sure, what do you think?
Hi Joey,
Your roommate is too optimistic. When you have to pay more than half of your income for rent, you are in a risky territory and any unexpected little mishap, like car trouble, will throw your budget off. Why don’t you look for a place in the $600 a month range and learn to handle your rent and all your other expenses you’ll have living on your own without going so far out on a limb.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi I live in wisconsin and me and a friend are looking to move to colorado springs, colorado sometime in the next few months. The apartment costs $800 a month and the electric and heating are both not included. Would we be able to afford all costs including food, etc. We both make about $600 dollars a month and have to pay about 200 a month for gas. Would we be able to afford this?
Hi Sean,
If the two of you make $1,200 a month, combined, and pay $200 a month for gas, there is no way you can pay $800 in rent plus utilities. You would have no money left over for such pretty important expenses as food!
You need to be looking for a very inexpensive roommate share.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hello, I live in Georgia. I make about $1,000 a month. I was looking into getting my first apartment that is 410 a month. I have no car payments except for gas which is 240 a month, 120 from each paycheck. I am transferring with my job to another location that is closer to the apartment. So gas would probably go down to just 150 a month. My phone bill is 63 a month. I have two other bills that adds up to 80 a month. I am also getting a raise next year which would make my income go up to about 1200 a month. Would I be able to make this move?
Hi Olivia,
If you take your income of $1,000 and deduct rent $410, utilities about $80, gas $150, phone $63, other bills $80, you have only $217/mo. left for all your other expenses. It seem too little for comfort. Why don’t you continue saving, wait until you get your raise and then run your numbers again. Then your rent starts to look manageable.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi me and my boyfriend and 3 kids (my1) his 2 on weekends I bring home a boy 6-800 every two weeks and 400.00 in child support he brings around 480 (aftercs) and between 25&139 from a second job the apt we are looking at is 575 + utility can we do it
Hi Tangi,
Assuming your BF’s income of $480 is per month and your child support of $400 is per month, you make about $2,100 in a low month (600*2+400+480+25) and about $2,600 in a high month. The formula for max. rent of 35% of take-home pay shows your low month rent max. at $736, so you should be Ok paying $575 and still having enough left over for utilities (assume about 20% of rent or about $120/month) and all your other costs. During your high income months your should have some extra money to put towards savings for an emergency fund.
Also check out this average utility cost survey we just posted on the site. It will help you to estimate utility costs based on where you live.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi I think this is a great post. I live in Miami, making 2500/mo. No car payment, but insurance is 90 and so is phone bill (total $180). I don’t have to worry much about heat. I’m looking at spending $900/mo on rent. Assuming I spend $250/mo on food and $80/mo on gas. Should I be alright? I’m expecting some help from by bf with food and the electric or cable/internet bill, but I don’t want to rely on it per se. What are your thoughts?
Hi Meg.
You are lucky with the heating costs, but you’ll get hot with big A/C bills unless you have central air included in your rent.
$900 rent is just a little more than we’d recommend for someone making $2,500/mo after-tax. (If your $2,500 is before tax, then you are definitely too high.) Overall, though, it looks like you are in a reasonable ballpark, even if you have to cover your utilities of $150 or more month. To double check, look at your last couple of months of income and expenses and see if you would have been able to cover your rent and utilities in addition to all your other necessary cash outlays. That’s your answer!
Good luck from the MFA Team
I make, roughly $1000 a month. My best friend makes around $500 a month while going to school. I want to buy a car and the payments will be about $250 a month plus $100 in insurance and gas money. The apartment were looking at is $540 a month. Will we be able to afford it?
Kadrian,
Just looking at the formula of paying no more than 35% of your take-home pay in rent is not going to work in your case. While 35% of $1,500 monthly pay is $525, close to the $540 your are looking to spend, your other expenses will be so high that there is not enough money left over for such basics as food and clothing.
Deduct from your $1,500 rent $540, utilities est. $100, car expenses $350 and you’ll have $510 left each month for 2 people. That’s $17/day or $8.50/per roommate. Can you cover ALL your other expenses on that? We’d say, no way. Looks like it’s either a car or the apartment. And even without the car expenses, it will be tight.
Let us know what you decide. Good luck! MFA Editors
Alright so, I am 19 working two part time jobs and going to school full time. I get paid bi-weekly at both jobs on the same day, if that makes sense. and all together my checks combined come to like 750 on a good two weeks. I pay my own phone bill which is about 50, my car insurance which is 120 a month. and I also do payments for school but they’ll take anything I can give. I found an apartment for 530 a month, will I be able to make it every month?
Hi Ruby,
It’s going to be tight, but you can probably make it. If you deduct your fixed expenses (including est. $100 for utilities) from $1,500, you’ll end with $700 to cover all your other expenses. That should be enough for one person.
We are just a little concerned when you say your make $750 on good two weeks. How bad are the bad two weeks? Your landlord will not care that you had a run of bad paychecks. Before you sign the lease, figure out how much money you’ll have after your fixed expenses in a bad month. Only you will know if that is enough. You do have that little cushion of the two extra paychecks each year that can help in a pinch.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
I currently bring home $3300 a month. The apartment I’m interested in is $1015 and I must pay all utilities. I have a car note of $400 and $150 insurance. Will I be able to afford this by myself?
Hi Jaralyn,
If we use the basic 35% of take-home pay formula for max. rent, your number is $1,155. While you do have high car expenses, your total pay is enough to cover your $1,015 rent, utilities (est. at $200) and those car payments, with about $1,500 left over for all your other expenses and savings.
Good luck with your new apartment from the MFA Team!
Okay so I bring in about 2,500-2,700monthly and want this apartment that is 910 a month(not including utilities) and have a car note/insurance of 500. Is this doable?
Hi, I have a question. I am renting this place for 1175 a month I only have to pay electricity and gas. It is me and my partner living alone. Every two weeks I get paid 800 and my partner gets paid 800 every two weeks as well. I have 100 to pay for car insurance and 100 for phone bill. Will we be able to make it for a year? Just concerned that we wont be able to afford it
Hi Nancy,
Assuming your numbers are after tax, if you do the math from Calculation 2 in this post you maximum rent target is $1,120, but it sounds like you have very little other fixed expenses, so you should be OK at $1,175. You also have a cushion with the two 3-paychecks months you have during the year.
If your numbers are before tax use the Calculation 1. It will show that your target rent is $960 and $1,175 is over $200 too high for your combined incomes.
Good luck with your apartment from the MFA Team!
HI I’m looking to get an apartment with my boyfriend. He usually makes $1100 a month and I make around $800-$900 a month. I don’t have a car payment. We’d just be paying for my cars gas, utilities, and rent. What would be our price range for an apartment be?
This recent post shows two ways to estimate how much rent you can afford on your salary. You should use Calculation 2, if you are on hourly pay, calculation 1 if you have an annual fixed salary.
If you average $1,900 net take-home pay combined in low months, then your max. rent is $665. You can estimate the amount yourself, by following Alen’s example in calculation 2.
Since you don’t seem to have other heavy expenses, $650-$700 should be safe rent range and you’ll still have money left over for all other typical apartment and living expenses.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Okay so I make about 400-500 dollars bi-weekly. My soon to be roommate makes 400 bi weekly. We are looking at apartments for about 600-675 a month. I have to take out 100 dollars almost every check for car insurance and I will need gas money. Do you think we can afford to get an apartment in this price range?
Hi Matt,
The basic max. rent formula = 35% or your monthly take home, has max. rent at $560 ($1,600 * 0.35).
Let’s say your rent is $600, $700 with normal utilities, so you each have to shell out about $350 a month for housing. That’s almost one paycheck each month. That leaves you a little more than one paycheck for all other expenses, car insurance, gas, food, clothing, entertainment, etc. It looks to us like it could get really tight. You need to look at your typical expenses and see if about $100 a week is enough to cover it all. Maybe, if your $500 paychecks are frequent, you could squeeze by, but your roomie might have trouble paying his share.
Try to look for something a little cheaper, or continue saving until you have at least 3 months of rent in savings before you take the plunge.
Good luck from the MFA Team
Hi I’m currently looking for an affordable apartment. I make about $2500-$3000 a month. Been looking at an apartment for about $700 a month but I also have to pay for utilites. I also pay about $500 a month for both my car and insurance. Will I be able to afford this?
Hi James,
Use your low months as the basis for calculating the max. rent target. If $2,500 is the after tax number, then your max rent is at 35% is $875. If it is before tax number, then your annual salary is $30,000 divided by 40, gives your max. rent of $750. Either way, you should be OK at $700 a month, even with your car payments. Try to budget to live on $2,500 a month and bank the extra money during the $3,000 pay months for emergency fund and savings.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi i’m curtently living with my parents but want to move out. I make 800 per week and looking to just get out of my parents wing. I have found a 2 bedroom apartment for 230 per week i have no idea about utility bills, my car is paid off, no ph bill and no intension to have cable, internet, t.v etc as i am a workaholic. Do you think i would be able to handle that?
Hi Faikoeli,
$230 weekly rent is only 29% of your weekly (after-tax?) pay of $800, well below the max. target of 35%, so you should be OK with that apartment. If your pay is gross= before tax, you’ll be well withing the guidelines even then.
$800 * 52 weeks = $41,600 divided by 40 = $1,040 max rent/ month.
Good luck from the MFA Team.
Hello,
I make about 500.00 every other wed. my husband brings in about the same or a little more. our rent will be 701 plus we have to pay our power and water. This is after taxes are taken out. How much does it cost to turn the utilities if we have 0 credit? Will we be able to afford this?
Hi Katie,
Your $701 monthly rent is just at the top of the recommended maximum, but you should be OK because you will have two months during the year when you actually get a third paycheck. You can bank those into emergency reserve.
As far as turning on utilities when you don’t have a credit rating, call the electric company and find out what they recommend. You may have to be prepared to make a larger than normal deposit.
Good luck with your apartment from the MFA Team!
Hello.
I’ve been at my job for about 3 months. I make between 2,500-3,000 a month. i would like to purchase ab 800.00 month studio apartment. This is how i set up my budget
Rent 800.00
Electricity 50.00
Heat/air 70.00
Internet/cable 70.00
Water 40.00 3 months
Renters insurance 15.00
I live in the md/dc area. Is this a good budget? I calculated it costing about 1,020 monthly
Hi iambrittknee,
Budget looks good and $800 rent should be affordable on your pay, leaving even some room for savings in your higher pay months. Your heat/air will fluctuate with weather, so your may see a little higher bills in the middle of winter and for hottest summer months, but you have room in your budget to cover that.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
My brother and I are looking to move into a house for 950-1100 rent. I make 2500 and he makes 2400. I have a high car payment and am a single mother to 1 no child support.. He has a child support payment of 500 a month. I am not sure how much his car payments are. Do u think that we would be able to afford this?
Hi Ana,
Looking at two basic formulas for maximum target rent: 1.) annual pre-tax salary divided by 40; or 2.) 35% of your monthly after-tax pay, rent in the $950-1,100 looks very affordable.
However, only you two know what all your other expenses are. You need to put your math skills to work and do a little budgeting. Take a piece of paper and pencil, or open a spreadsheet program on your computer and add up $1,100 rent + est. $200 utilities + your health insurance payments + car payments + credit card payments + child support + student loan payments + any other fixed monthly payments you have to make. Next, deduct that total from your monthly take-home pay. The balance remaining has to be enough to cover all your other monthly expenses, such as, food, clothing, childcare, commuting, entertainment and leave something left over for emergencies.
Hope the numbers work out and you and your brother are on your way to getting your own apartment! Good luck from the MFA Team.
My best friend and I are looking to rent a home for about 1100 – 1200 between the two of us to rent. I make approx. 2400 a month and she is at 2000 a month. Does this seem doable for us to split. I have a car paym of 380/mo and hers is 410/mo, insurance for me 125/mo. Not sure about hers. I also have twins 1 year olds. Their dad and I split costs for them.
Hi Tiana,
Assuming the monthly incomes were after-tax, you should be OK in your $1,100-$1,200 range. Just remember to factor into your budget utilities of about $200 a month. The basic formula that budgets maximum of 35% of your monthly take-home for rent, would let you go as high as $1,540 ($2,400+$2,000=$4,400 *0.35).
However, that would be too much for you two to carry because you have high car payments and other large expenses, including childcare.
Good luck with your apartment from the MFA Team!
I’m looking to rent an apartment for 600-700 I make 680 every two weeks plus another 446 a month. Do you think I can afford this rent with utilities or look for a cheaper apartment.
Hi Paula,
Assuming the numbers you gave are post-tax, your monthly take-home is $1,806 * 0.35 = $632, so the formula works for a $600/month rent, with typical utilities, but don’t stretch it to $700.
Good luck from the MFA Editors.
Hello, my fiance and I are trying to rent a 2 bed 2 bath apartment at just under $600 a month. He will bring in approximately $1,800 a month before his comission checks. It would be us two and our two very small children. We’re in Michigan so A/C is not used for the majority of the year. We plan on Internet and Netflix, but no cable. The utilities we are responsible for are water,heat,trash,electric and gas. Do you think $600 a month is unreasonable?
Hi Kiley,
According to the basic formula $1,800*0.35 = $630, that apartment looks doable. While A/C is not a big expense for you, heating bills could get high in the winter. You should find out from the future landlord how much he thinks your water, heat, etc. will run a month. You do have a safety in that the commission checks will help cover high utility bills in a pinch, so it looks like you should be able to handle the $600 a month rent and still keep the babies in diapers!
Good luck from MFA Editors
Hi
Three of my friends and I, all college students, are about to rent a two bedroom apartment that costs $1000 a month. We are new to the United States and so we do not know anything about paying for utilities and even how it works. Could you please view the details of the listing on this link http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/10-S-3rd-St-Apt-A_Oxford_PA_19363_M33976-83983?row=2 please help me. I don’t know how much I should be estimating for utilities every month. Thanks… Thanks a lot.
Hi Connie,
As a rough rule of thumb you should expect that your utilities (internet, cable, electric) run about 15-20% of your monthly rent. Looks like water & sewage and heat are included in rent in this case. Your phone, cable TV and Internet bundle should run around $100 a month. Your biggest wild card is electricity for cooling during hot months, but you are looking in Pennsylvania so it’s only the summer. So, budget for $200 a month, and be happily surprised when the winter months come below.
Good luck from MFA Editors.
My fiance and I are looking to rent an apartment that is exactly $750 monthly. My income after taxes is 498.00 twice a month and he has two jobs and they both pay him roughly between 300-500 every two weeks after taxes also. Will we be able to afford $750?
Hi Michelle,
I’m assuming your BF makes $300-500 in each job, not combined. With that assumption, even on the low end of your BF’s paychecks your maximum target rent is $761. ($498+300+300=$1,098 every 2 weeks = $2,176 each 2 paycheck month, times 0.35 = $761) Plus you each have a cushion of two extra paychecks a year not in the formula.
However, if you BF’s numbers were total for both jobs, then your max. target is only $551 and $750 is far too much.
Good luck from MFA Editors!
So I am looking at a an apartment that is $1,202 monthly and it will be getting split up with 3 other roommates. I make 320 a week and my girlfriend makes 220 a week, and the two other people make 360 and 380. What will we be looking at when you factor in all of the utilities.
These numbers are post taxes.
Hi Mike,
Your groups maximum rent target is $1,792 (add up all weekly pays, times 4 weeks = $5,120 * 0.35) so even if your combined utilities run as high as 15% of your rent or $268, your total housing would be still under $1500 a month and well below your max. rent only target. (Plus each of you has a cushion of 4 extra paycheck a year that were not even in the formula.)
Also check out this post about how to split rent and this one about roommate agreements.
Good luck from MFA Editors!
After reading your post I feel like this will be cramped as in financially. If I make 175 a week, and my boyfriend makes 400 a week is it possible to rent a place for $600 plus electricity.
Hi Zia,
We are assuming the numbers you show are your net pays after taxes. $175+$400=$575 total a week, times 4 weeks = $2,300/month, times 0.35 = $805 maximum target rent. $600 is well withing your means. (Note: this formula leaves you a cushion for emergency fund, because four times a year you’ll have a 5-paycheck month. Just check your calendar.)
If the numbers are pre-tax, then $575 times 52 weeks = $29,900/year divided by 40 = $747 maximum rent. So either way $600/month rent is affordable.
Good luck with your first apartment from MFA Editors!
Thank you so much!!
I get 226 dollars every two weeks and my boyfriend gets 300-500 every two weeks. We are trying to get an apartment for 400-700 dollars do you think it’s possible for me to get?
Hi Mia,
A $400 apartment is doable, but do not go much over it, otherwise you’ll be in trouble in your lower-income months. See Calculation 2 in
this post.
Good Luck! MFA Editors
Hi Alex,
I am looking to rent an apartment for $890 a month, utilities are not included. I make about $720 net every week. I pay about about $500 for car payments and insurance and about $200 a month on student loans. Do you think this is feasible?
Hi Iola,
You make $2880 net in a typical month, so using the Calculation 2 from
this post your maximum rent is $1,008, and $890 looks doable. However, you have some high car and loan expenses, so make sure you have enough left over for utilities (est. 15-20% of rent) and all your other expenses. Good luck! MFA Editors
I am looking at a one bedroom apartment thats cost from 450 to 510. It is an all electric apartment. I make 656 every two weeks but work overtime so sometimes it will go up. Do you think its doable?
Hi Tiare,
Check out this post and use Calculation 2, if you are talking about take-home (after-tax) pay. Using the formula, you maximum rent is $459, so $450 should be doable, but watch out for those heating an cooling electric bills.
If $656 is pretax pay, then look more in the $400-$425 rent range.
Happy apartment hunting from the MFA Team!
Husbad and I found a place for 1175. He makes about 1800 a month before tax and I make 1092 a month before tax. Is this doable
Hi Brittany,
Check out this recent post that gives two simple ways to estimate what is the maximum you should pay for rent on your salaries. Use the calculation 1, since you are looking at pre-tax incomes.
Formula is $1,800+$1,092=2,892/month * 12 =$34,704/year divided by 40 = $868 target rent. Maybe you could stretch it a bit to $900 if you don’t have big credit card or other bills, but $1,175 looks too high on your incomes. Good luck with your apartment hunt from the MFA Team!
Hello I make 22.50 and hour the apartment I want is 1500 and the utilities are NOT included . Do you think I can make it ? I also have a 1 year old . No car note or cell phone bill
Hi Sue,
Check out this recent post that gives two simple ways to estimate what is the maximum you should pay for rent on your pay. Use the calculation 1, since you are looking at pre-tax income.
If you work a 40-hour week, the formula is, $22.50 * 40 hours=$900/week * 52 weeks =$46,800/year divided by 40 = $1,170 target rent. Maybe you could stretch it a bit to $1,200, but $1,500 looks too high on your income. Even though you do not have cell or auto loan expenses, you need to factor in the expenses of raising a 1 year old. Good luck with your apartment hunt from the MFA Team!
Hi my boyfriend and I are currently looking at an apartment that costs 950 a month. Heat, hot water, and electricity is not included. I make about 1200 every two weeks (sometimes more depending on how much I work) and my boyfriend makes about 400-500 dollars every week. I pay 60 dollars for car insurance and about 130 for my cell phone bill. He also pays about the same. Do you think it is possible for us to afford this place?
Hi Hannah,
We just published a post on that exact topic. Use the Calculation 2 to figure out your average monthly after-tax take-home income and multiply by 0.35. It looks like $950 is clearly doable for you two. Assume about $200 for utilities, until you get a closer estimate from your potential landlord. Good luck from the MFA Team!
I have found a apartment for 800 a month with hot water and water included I make 1139 net pay every two weeks . Do you think this doable ? Thanks in advance
Hi Alen,
We actually did a post on this topic and used your situation as an example. Congratulations, the $800 apartment is doable for you.
so whats the normal heat and hot water costs
Heat and hot water are usually included in your rent. However, if your apartment has electrical heating (or heating/AC units) units and your electricity is sub-metered, so that your exact usage can be calculated, you may have to pay for heat. It would be unusual to have to pay for hot water, unless you have your own separate electrical water heater unit.
If you do have separate units and sub-metered electric, the cost depends very much where you live and the size of your apartment. A one bedroom apartment in temperate zone could be under $100/mo. or it could be $200+/mo. in winter in Northern states. Always ask the landlord for an estimate.
Hi, my bf and I are thinking about moving into our own place. We found a loft we really like to rent but we are trying to figure out if we are able to make that step. The monthly rent is $1700 w/out utilities . Combined we bring in $3800 before tax. Also we will be splitting rent and utilities. I’ve saved up about $2700 so far. My car is payed off and my parents pay my phone and car insurance. My bf makes his car payments so that will be an extra expense. Will a place like this be affordable to us? I appreciate if you can help is out.
Hey Jude,
Sorry, but we are making you sad. That $1,700 apartment is too expensive for you and your bf. For all the details and calculations see this post where we used your situation as an example. Your don’t want to overextend so much that you have no money left for fun or to cover any unexpected expenses.
Good luck for finding a great affordable apartment!
what about water
This is what our blogger Audra, who lives in Georgia, said to another reader:
“In my experience, water has been fairly inexpensive, averaging anywhere from $20-$30 a month. However, in some parts of the south, especially in the city, a sewer fee is tacked on to your water bill that can be pretty hefty. If that’s the case, expect to pay around $50 max for water.”
Hope that helps.
:P
Hello my name Is john and I work anywhere from 40-60 hours at a factory I make roughly around 300-500 a week 300 when I work 40 and 500 for 60 I live in somerset ky and the 2 bedroom apartment I’m looking at this 450 a month I have 5k in savings and my wife makes 1200 a month. Now my question is can I afford something better or should I go with this place and save for when I have to move to south Carolina? I am in college which is played for in full and I keep 4k each semester for grants that go to my bank account. My wife’s aunt is a boss of a huge tech corp in south Carolina and I need a bachelor’s degree I will have my AA in December so I will he living here for three years. What’s the best choice for me also I’m only 20 so not sure on what’s the best decision. Thanks for the reply.
Also just thought about this. I own two cars no monthly payment bought them with my last 4 semesters of college. 6 month premium on car insurance is 758 and water will be on me also but the water company is next door to where I’m looking and they said averagely its 15-30 $ a month and electric averagely its 30-120$ depends on how hot or cold it is. If that helps at all.
Hi John,
First of all, congratulations. You are in a great financial shape for a 20-year old college student. It also looks like you could comfortably afford more than $450 in rent and since you will be living in the apartment for 3 years, it makes sense to get a place where you’ll be happy, as long as you don’t overextend your finances.
Even the conservative calculation shows that you and your wife could qualify for a $750/mo. rental (see below.) We would not recommend that, though. However, would another $100-150 month in rent get you a much better commute and/or much nicer place than $450? Even if you decide to finish your college in two years, and cut back work hours, with your grants and your wife’s income, you could still manage and be able to save for the move to So. Carolina. And then start earning a higher salary sooner with your Bachelor’s degree. Good luck from the MFA Team! Let us know how things work out.
Setup:
John makes $300-500/wk = $15,600-$26,000 a year
Wife makes $1200/mo. = $14,400 a year
Total annual income $30,000-$40,400
Max. rent target (annual income /40) $750-$1,010
Car Insurance $758 for 6 months =$126/mo.
Savings $5,000
Grants $4,000*2=$8,000 a year
Conservative Monthly Budget at 40-Hour Month:
Income – John $1,300
Income – Wife $1,200
Total $2,500
Less:Payroll & Inc.Taxes(Est.20%) -$500
Take-Home Pay $2,000
Housing + Utilities:
Rent -$750
Electric – high – $120
Water – high -$30
Internet/TV -$75
Total Housing + Utilities -$975
Cash available for other expenses $1,025
hi my name is Nicholas I have a job but its work part time is now the best time to move out or should I wait.
and for socal whats a good amount to have saved up????? thank you
Hi, I plan to move out and have about 10k saved up and make 54k a year. After tax, i take about 2800 home per month. How much should I monthly rent be including utilities in Southern California? I received a job offer down south and kind of nervous about renting my first apartment.
Hi Robert,
Sounds like you are in a great position to move into your first apartment. If we use the annual salary, i.e. $54,000 divided by 40 formula for maximum, your rent could go as high as $1,350, add another 15-20% for utilities and your housing cost will take close to 60% of your take-home pay. This is too much, so start with your take-home of $2,800 and try to spend no more than 35% of that in rent, or $980. Add about $150-$200 for utilities and you will still have over $1,500 a month left for all other expenses and savings.
With your nice amount of savings, you could even go a little bit higher for rent if that’s where the market is. Assume that your initial cash outlay will be 3 times your rent: 1st month rent, security deposit, moving costs and minimal furniture (at least a bed). Good luck from the MFA Team!
P.S. Your situation is a perfect example of how no formula works for everyone and why first time renters have to look carefully at their own finances before taking the plunge.
Hi all!
I’m preparing to move into a Loft Apartment in July, and the rent is $860 a month ($850+$10 for pet), and I currently make $2024 roughly a month. I’m curious as to what we pay for water in the Southeast typically, if it’s included in the rent or not? I need to see if I can afford the place on my own, or if I need financial assistance.
Hi Patrick,
Congratulations on the new apartment! To answer your question (I’m a Southeast girl myself), water typically isn’t included in the rent. But, every apartment is different, so it’s best to contact you landlord and ask if the water bill is included, and, if not, what it typically costs others tenants.
In my experience, water has been fairly inexpensive, averaging anywhere from $20-$30 a month. However, in some parts of the south, especially in the city, a sewer fee is tacked on to your water bill that can be pretty hefty. If that’s the case, expect to pay around $50 max for water.
Hope this helps!
Audra & The My First Apartment Team
Hi, I am renting in maine, and many apartments include heat and hot water in the rent. So do I pay for cold water?
We have never heard of a case where hot water is included and not cold water. In the Northeast, water and heat (unless your apartment has electric baseboard heating system) are typically included in the rent.
Good luck with your apartment from the MFA Team!
Hi
My name Alex,I get the utility bill and the higher cost was sewer 75$ is that ok?
The water. Cost me 35 so why sewer cost 75
Hi Alex,
More than twice your water bill for sewer does not sound right. Check with you utility and have them explain how they calculate the sewer charges. Also, ask your neighbors what they pay. Maybe there is new sewer construction and you are getting an assessment.
In general, if you get an unusual jump in any utility bill always ask the utility to explain why. You maybe victim of utility theft, and someone nearby has tapped into your line. This can happen, particularly with with electric lines.
Let us know what you find out, so your fellow MFA readers know what to watch out for. Good luck from the MFA Team!
I’m trying to get an apartment in the Sacramento California area. My fiancé and I both work two jobs getting roughly $600 dollars each bi-weekly. We are trying to move into an apartment that is $908 per month. Would we be able to easily afford it? A long with food, and utilities? (We would pay for ALL utilities. Water, gas, electric, trash, etc..) we would still like to try and save up for a car while there as well…
Hi Kellsey,
If we understand you correctly, you take home after taxes is about $2,400 a month, 2*$600*2 pay periods (and extra $1,200 in two months, when you get 3 paychecks.) You need to budget based on your $2,400 months, so your rent of $908 will take about 38% of your monthly take-home. It is a bit higher than our target of 35% or $840 in your case, but should be doable if you do not have many other fixed expenses.
Take a look at this post for typical expenses you may incur. Keep in mind these are per person, so you should double them.
You also need to save well over $2,000 before you are ready to move. (Rule-of-thumb: have savings equal to times your rent before moving.)
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hey wusssuuuuuuuup my name I sky I live on Washington state I plan on getting an appartment that’s $870 a month I don’t have a job yet and was wonder ing what type of job would be best for me to pay this it has wifi sewer garbage water included I’d have to pay for electricity and heat I have $4,800 saved but if you could tell me what job would be best form to pay or if u think I should look into another appartment
Hi Sky,
First, the good news. With $4,800 saved you are in great shape when the time comes to get your first apartment. Nice work saving!
Now, the bad news. You are not ready to get any apartment because you don’t have a job. With the typical landlord’s guideline of requiring you to earn an annual salary of 40 times your monthly rent, can you get a job making $34,800 a year?
If you were (un)lucky enough to find someone who would rent to you without a job, they would probably want you to prepay several months of rent, so there goes your $4,800.
Why don’t you go and find a job first and then figure out how much you can afford to pay for rent. If you make a fixed annual salary, divide the number by 40. That’s your target monthly rent. If you work on hourly basis and your hours are not fixed, average couple of months worth of after-tax paychecks, and only spend about a third of the monthly average on rent.
Good luck from the MFA Team!
Hi, my name is Alisha and I just had a question that I was wondering if you could answer? My apartment agreement states that the landlord pays for heat, water, sewer, and trash. It’s a gas heater, and the apartment has a gas stove. So does the landlord pay for the gas stove or do I? I was thinking that since the landlord pays for the heat (which is gas) that they might pay for the stove (which is also gas). What do you think?
Hi Alisha,
Cooking gas is usually included in rent. In fact, we have never heard of a landlord charging separately for gas for the stove.
Hey my name is Rose and I stay in Florida I work two jobs one I bring about $600 bi weekly other job I make $224 weekly my insurance is $250 monthly my boyfriend pays my car i pay my phone $50 monthly can I afford a $500 or less rent?
Hi Rose,
It looks like you make (take-home?) about $2,096 a month ($600*2+$224*4) (plus two extra paychecks a year that you can save, since you get paid bi-weekly.) $500 a month rent is only 24% of your take home, well below the the 35% target. Even with the $300 of monthly expenses for insurance and phone, you’ll still have $1296 left to cover all your other expenses and put a nice amount into savings. Good luck in your first apartment from the MFA Blogger Team!
Hi,
My name is Vic, I’m looking into renting a studio apt which is $514 a month. I take home about $750 every two weeks and have a monthly student loan payment of $130. I plan on not getting cable and my car is paid off. I currently have about $3,500 in savings. Can I afford to move out on my own?
Hi Vic,
Based on your numbers you are ready to move out on your own. Your rent should not be more than a third of your monthly take home and you are at 34% ($514/$1,500) for 10 months out of the year. The other two months have a bonus third paycheck that almost total your annual student loan payments. (When you get paid every 2 weeks, there are 26 paychecks a year, not 24. Check your calendar!) Plus the fact that you have $3,500 in savings that you can use for first month’s rent and one month’s security deposit and still have $2,000 left, gives you an extra financial cushion. Go for it and good luck in your first apartment from the MFA Blogger Team!
Hi, I’m looking for apartments now and I’m not sure exactly what ballpark I should be looking at for price. I currently bring home 1500 a month. What should I be looking for in terms of a monthly rent? thanks!
No more then 1,200 for you.
Hi Lena,
Your rent should not be more than 1/3 of your monthly take-home, so aim to spend max. $500. But before you sign a lease, add up all your other fixed expenses to make sure that you have enough money left over for basic living expenses (food, clothing, etc.) $500 rent budget will probably mean a roommate share to start with, unless you live in a very low cost area.
Good luck from The My First Apartment Team!
Hi,
My name is Chris and I live in southwest Missouri. I’m recently been trying to do some research on how much I should expect to pay for utilities so I have a better guess as to where I would land on how much rent I would be able to pay. I will be living on my own and it’s going to my first time. I’ve seen that a lot of the place I can rent would be about $700 or less which I’m pretty sure I could afford but as everyone knows this kind of thing can raise anxiety. I plan on getting internet but not cable. if you can help me out a little it would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Also, if I estimated right I should be making about 1,900 a month. At current though, I will be only paying $50 a month for my phone but depending on how far I would have to travel for work depends on how much I would have to pay for gas for my truck which only gets about 10-15 mpg.
Hi Chris,
It is not clear if your $1,900 a month is pre-tax or after tax. If it is pre-tax, then you should be looking to spend no more than $600/mo. in rent. (The target rent is your annual salary divided by 40 or $1,900*12/40=$570.) Even if it is your take-home amount, try to keep your rent under $700.
Regarding utilities, the big money items are what size apartment and how you’ll get your heat. Does it come from a radiator and is included in your rent or do you have an individual unit for heat and a/c. If the latter is the case, it could run you as much as $200 a month in the coldest and hottest months. You need to ask your future landlord how much heat and a/c runs typically in that size unit.
Other than heat, your electric should be in the $50-60/mo on a studio or 1BR unit, plus $50 for internet. Other possible add-ons are water, if it is separately metered and trash collection. Again, your landlord could estimate typical usage.
Net/net, you should budget about $150-200 for utilities and add $100 to the amount if you have to pay for heat separately. Let us know how it goes and good luck!
Thank you. I was wanting to confirm what I thought. The info wad very helpful. This site will definitely be a big resource for me on taking a good amount of anxiety out of the picture.
Hello(: my name is sammy. My best friend and I are getting ready to head off to college. We live in Montana. And of course coming out of high school it’s all kinda frightening to us. I’ve been doing a lot of research trying to figure out how much our heat, electricity, and water bill. We are looking at an apartment that is around 700 w/out utilities. I’m just hoping that it would be afforadable for the two of us in the end. Please help. We really need all the help we can get (:
Hi Sammy,
The best way to find out how much the utilities might be is to ask the previous tenant. If that’s not possible ask the landlord. If the apartment is recommended by the college, their housing office should be able to help. Living in Montana, I’d guess the heating bill is the biggie. Electric (other than for heat) is typically not be much more than $50-$60/month for a small apartment plus another $50 for internet. As far as water and heating, you need to get an estimate locally. Good luck!
Hi so I’m about to graduate college and I got a job offer to start at $47,000 a year. What do you suggest on how much I should spend in rent and you said before utilities should cost around 250 but I also have my car payment which is around 218. I also pay insurance which is 145. And of corse student loans as well. I was just wondering what you think I would need to budget exactly and what would be a good rent payment for my salary.
Hi Ally,
Congratulations on your job offer. Here are a couple of links that will help you figure out how much rent you could afford comfortable.The basic rule is your monthly rent should not be more than your annual salary /40, or in your case 47,000/40=1,175. Your utilities will depend on what size place you get and what part of the country you live, but use $50-$100 for electric and $100 for cell phone/internet bundle as a rough estimate. You may also have to pay for water in some areas. Check out this MFA post for some estimates of various expenses. Also check this ADP calculator for a rough estimate of what your take-home may be. Remember to add health insurance premiums to expenses.
Good luck! (With $47K salary you can get a nice first apartment, unless you are heading to SF or NYC where you’ll be talking a roommate share.)
Hi, I’m looking for a place in NYC. I’ve never paid utilities before and I just want to know on average how much it would cost for electricity per month. I’m the only person who will be occupying the apartment. I work during the day and would be using AC during hot months. Would my electricity bill be really out of hand every month? More than $100?
Hi Kaydee,
We asked two New York apartment dwellers what they actually pay for electricity. One lives in a LES studio and pays about $60/mo, the other splits an UWS 2br brownstone apartment and pays about $40/mo. So, estimate that yours will be in the $50-60 range, up to double that for hottest summer months.
Hi, I’m looking on renting my first apartment, one bedroom. I make roughly $525 every week and have $1,000 in my savings. Rent is $825 a month. Would I be able to afford it?
Hi Michael,
If you get the apartment you’ll be spending close to 40% of your monthly take-home on rent. A safer rent on your income would be in the $700/mo range or about a a third of your take-home. It’s great that you have some savings, but those will be gone when you pay your security deposit and moving costs. How about money for the first month’s rent? That’s also payable before you move in. You’ll need to have close to $2,000 available to cover all your upfront expenses.
It’s hard to answer if you can afford $825 rent without knowing what other expenses you have. Student loans? Car payments? Commuting? Credit card bills? If you don’t have any other major expenses, you could probably do it. Check by adding up all your fixed monthly bills plus the rent plus utilities and see what’s left for your all other living costs (food, clothing, entertainment). Only you can judge if that’s enough. Good luck!
P.S. In high-rent markets, such as NYC and SF, young people sometimes have no choice but pay up to 50% of their income for rent, knowing that it severely limits their lifestyle.
I make $325 every week, Rent is $725 (bills not included). I don’t watch cable I only use Internet as entertainment and truck paid off could I make it need a second opinion.
I am looking into moving into a house completely on my own where I do not have to pay any sort of rent but I will have to pay for utilities. The house is a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom and not very big. My only expense is gas for my car. I do not pay insurance or my phone bill, it all gets payed. My problem is that I am attending college which is all payed for by financial aid for now, but I only get paid $250 every 2 weeks. From what I found I should be okay but just wanted a second opinion.
Hi Cody,
If you only need to pay for electric and internet (maybe $100/mo combined) you should be OK. If you also have to pay for heating and you are in the Polar Vortex country, that could be another $100++/month. However, you have the second bedroom you could rent out if things get tight, so it looks like you’ll be OK in either case.
Good luck!
Im just a nervous wreck when it comes to renting an apartment with a room mate but im going for it anyway! My question is, if me and my room make make about 2700 a month combined and rent is 760 a month but we have to pay water and electricity do you think we would be in a comfortable spot?
The basic recommendation for maximum rent you should pay is your annual salary divided by 40. You and your roomie make $32,400/year between the two of you. $32,400 / 40 = $810, so your rent of $760 should be very doable, even with having to pay for utilities. However, you should consider all your other expenses also. Do you have student loan payments? Car payments? Big credit card bills? You need to look at your total financial picture, not just rent. Good luck!
Moving out to Fresno with two roommates, first time renting a house so I would appreciate some advice. We were planning on renting a house for around $1250. Which means around $450 each , I was wondering if anyone could help me out on an estimate to see how much all other utilities and things around the house would average out to. That way I can estimate how much we would all be paying a month and how much spending money we’d have left. Help would be much appreciated. Thanks !
Two roommates *
Hi Fernando,
Because you’ll be renting a house there could be more expenses you and your roomies have to cover than in renting an apartment. Are there outside plantings, for example, you’ll need to maintain? The best place to get a good estimate of all the utilities and other costs you need to pay is the previous tenant or the owner of the house. You’ll need to plan at least for seasonal heating/cooling, electricity, internet, water, garbage collection. Meanwhile, assume at least $100 a month per roommate, until you get a better estimate from someone in similar situation. Good luck.
PS. You had a typo in the rent amount that we fixed. (Changed $12500 to $1250.)
What about water?
Hi Crystal,
Having to pay for water separately depends on the region where you rent. For example, in New York City water is included in your rent.
If you are looking on the West Coast or in the South you may get a separate water bill. Your best bet is to ask the previous tenant or the landlord. Good Luck!
So theres a place I’m looking at and I’m just talking it up with a friend and said we should look into it. He’s having a kid and I’m about to get a job that pays about $600-$700 every two weeks. The place costs $785 and 3 different people will be tending to the bill so around $261.66 per person in a perfect world. The apartment is 1000 sq. ft. 2 bed 2 bath and plenty of living room space and room for his kid, his lady, and himself. It seems like a decent deal and I would think we can do it. Not only that would it be a good idea to even move in with them if a baby was involved, I’m not bothered by that fact at all, but just in general? I don’t have many other things I HAVE to pay for but I think it would be good for all of us.
Hi Kahlil,
It sounds like a good deal for you, moneywise. Just realize that little babies are noisy, so consider how close your bedroom will be to theirs. When it’s you baby waking you up at 3am, you can handle it, when it’s someone else’s it could become a source of conflict. On the bright side, it will give you a lot of insight into what it is to be a parent! Good luck to all you you!
How does one get a firm grip on getting started on all this?
Hi John,
This is a fairly broad question. My advice is to take it piece by piece. First, determine which utilities you’ll be expected to pay for and how much each one costs. Add up the total cost. Divide by the number of people living in the place and, voila, you have a rough estimate. If you’re asking how to get started moving out, use the same technique, but with more steps. Figure out how much you can afford to pay for living expenses each month. Then figure out what neighborhoods you can afford and so on… Piece by piece you’ll get there. Hope this helps!
Hello! I live in an efficiency (I like to call it a matchbox) and my gas bill at minimum is around 25-27 a month. This is when I don’t use the stove AT ALL. There is a base charge of 12 but if I don’t use the range at all, shouldn’t it be less than 15? If I turn on the stove even once, during the whole month, I end up paying anywhere from 40-90 dollars. I’m calling the gas company today because I got an extremely high bill in the mail recently and it’s pissing me off. I have used my stove once for about 5 minutes (that’s a stretch) and the oven once for about 10 minutes between April 2012 and now (I either use my crockpot or an electric burner that I have). The range is the only gas thing I have since the property manager pays for heat and water. I know I can’t be crazy right?!
Denise
Hi Denise,
I sounds like there is possibly a leak or malfunction, especially if gas doesn’t include your heat, as you indicate. It should not be that expensive; you’re right to call the company and have them take a look.
Question I’ve never received any bill regrading what I had to pay the Frits time I paid I call to verify the amount it was 670 all together so that’s what I’ve been payin been there 6 months I just went to pay my bill online and it went up 300 and I’m not understanding? Help
Hi Jessica,
It sounds like this is a problem that needs to be resolved directly with your utility company. I would recommend calling them and staying on the line until you get all your questions answered.
Alex
I’d like to comment on what you said about Dallas residents not needing heat. On the contrary, while air conditioning is a must here, so is heat, although granted, the length of time is not great. In January and February (and sometimes December) the daytime temps can routinely be just above freezing when a storm passes through. And who can forget the freak ice storm last year during the super bowl (’11)? Under 20 degrees for 4 days straight with ice on the ground.
Heat, as well as air conditioning is a must.
Also, in your addressing of heat above, you did not include electric furnaces as a heat source. Electricity does not just power A/C.
Hi Christa,
Thanks for the thoughtful comment — we always love to hear what readers have to say on the ground. And we agree, Dallas residents need heat (according to weather.com the average low in January is 37 degrees) — our larger point is it’s a relatively small portion of your overall annual utilities, whereas in a place like Wisconsin, it could be the largest single expense. As for electric heaters, they are generally quite a bit more expensive (70% or so) than gas-run heaters — unless you’re using space heaters, which are still more expensive, but can be used in targeted areas, making them a possible (if inconvenient) economic solution.
Hi Alex,
I’m going to be moving into a 1BR apartment with electricity for everything–(heating and stoves on top of normal electricity usage and AC), and you mentioned that electric heaters are ~70% more expensive than gas heaters, but never gave a specific price for heating in the article (because it’s usually covered by the landlord), and I was wondering what you might estimate for the costs/amount of electricity used total.
I will try to be as sparing with electricity as I can, as I will not have a television (but will have a desktop). The apartment is in New Jersey, so I hope to use AC only for a couple months (July/August), but I expect to use the heat more for winter months.
Thanks,
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan,
because so many things (insulation, windows, your comfort zone, etc.) can impact the amount electricity your apartment will use, your best bet is to ask the previous tenant, if possible, or your future neighbors. If that is not possible, contact the local electric utility’s customer service and ask for their advice. Just as a very rough estimate, you are probably looking at $150-200 electric bill in the coldest and hottest months.
Good luck in your new apartment!
Great article! What about water? A place I’m considering does not include water in their rent even though most others do.
Hi Liz. This is a great question — it’s rare an American renter is asked to pay for water, and, also, the rate can vary significantly by city. You could be charged anywhere from $25 a month to in excess of $100 a month, depending where you live and your usage. I would ask what the previous renters have been charged … and I would also go to your city’s Department of Water website, which should publish the rates. If you’re still not getting a solid answer, call up the Department of Water and speak with someone — they will be in a position to give you an accurate estimate. Finally, I would be skeptical if a landlord is attempting to pass that cost along to you — it is usually built into the price of rent. So be sure to ask your potential landlord why he or she is charging for water — and make sure that you get a good answer.
When I first moved into my new apartment I set a budget I wanted to spend for my electricity bill and with the increase in prices due to oil I’m paying close to $350 a month just on that. With your budget you have to be flexible as there could be a rise in costs.
Hi Megan! Thanks for your comment; we thought we’d respond directly. While you’re right that utility prices can fluctuate, $350 for electricity raises a red flag. In talking to several of my colleagues, we agree that your bill is so high that there is likely an error. I would recommend calling your management company and your oil and electricity suppliers, and asking them about it. Have them double check that the meters are reading properly, that their computer system isn’t counting you twice, etc … unless you have a mansion to heat and cool, your bill simply should not be that high. And, also, let this be a lesson to our readers: if something seems seriously off with your bill, have it checked out. Don’t just assume that the bill is correct — it might not be.
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