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Home Affordability Budget Calculator

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Lenders and your own budget can give very different answers to “how much house can I afford?”. This calculator shows both: the price a lender’s debt-to-income rule allows, and the price that keeps housing within a share of your take-home pay.

By the CalcKite team · Last reviewed 19 Oct 2026 · Formula · Cite · Embed

Home Affordability Budget Calculator

See how much house you can afford using both lender-style debt-to-income limits and your own monthly cash flow, including taxes, insurance, PMI, HOA and maintenance.

Monthly housing = principal & interest + property tax + insurance + HOA + PMI Lender limit = the lower of 28% of gross monthly income, or 36% minus other debts Cash-flow limit = 30% of take-home pay, for housing plus maintenance Home price = the highest price whose monthly cost fits the limit

Example: $100,000 income, $6,200 take-home, $500 of debts, $60,000 down, 6.5% for 30 years. Lender guideline (28/36 rule): $341,334; Your cash flow (30% of take-home): $261,966; Price that fits both: $261,966; Monthly housing at that price: $1,642 + $218 maintenance; Take-home left after housing and debts: $3,840 a month.

Understand the resultHow it works, worked example, formula and FAQ
Related calculatorsMortgage · Mortgage Closing Cost · Debt-to-Income Ratio

How to use the Home Affordability Budget Calculator

Enter your gross yearly income, your monthly take-home pay, your other monthly debt payments and the cash you can put down. Add the mortgage rate and term, your property tax rate, insurance, any HOA dues, PMI and a maintenance allowance. The lender limits default to the common 28/36 rule, and the comfort limit to 30% of take-home pay. The green box shows the price that fits both, and the cards show each view.

Worked example

$100,000 income, $6,200 take-home, $500 of debts, $60,000 down, 6.5% for 30 years

Lender guideline (28/36 rule)$341,334
Your cash flow (30% of take-home)$261,966
Price that fits both$261,966
Monthly housing at that price$1,642 + $218 maintenance
Take-home left after housing and debts$3,840 a month

The lender would approve a lot more than this budget is comfortable with, which is common. The gap is the difference between what you can borrow and what you can live with.

Assumptions and limits

  • The 28/36 rule is a common guideline, not a loan approval. Lenders also look at credit, savings and loan type.
  • PMI is added while the down payment is under 20% of the price.
  • Maintenance is only included in your own cash-flow view.
  • Closing costs aren’t included; set aside cash for them separately.

Formula

Monthly housing = principal & interest + property tax + insurance + HOA + PMI Lender limit = the lower of 28% of gross monthly income, or 36% minus other debts Cash-flow limit = 30% of take-home pay, for housing plus maintenance Home price = the highest price whose monthly cost fits the limit

Frequently asked questions

How much house can I afford on $100,000 a year?

With $60,000 down, $500 of other debts and a 6.5% rate, a lender’s 28/36 rule allows about $341,000, while keeping housing to 30% of take-home pay points to about $262,000.

What is the 28/36 rule?

Housing costs should be no more than 28% of gross monthly income, and all debt payments, including housing, no more than 36%.

Cite or link to this calculator

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CalcKite. (2026). Home Affordability Budget Calculator [Online calculator]. https://www.calckite.com/home-affordability-budget-calculator/

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Results are estimates for information only and are not financial, tax or legal advice. Tax rules, interest rates and fees change, so confirm important numbers with your bank, employer or a qualified adviser. Read our disclaimer.