Reviewed 1 October 2026. SettleAU editorial guidance using the linked primary sources. Examples are our own hypothetical scenarios, not market estimates. No independent legal, financial or education-professional review has been completed.
What this rent calculator measures
This is a cash-flow worksheet using your own listing and spending figures. It does not find affordable suburbs, estimate a market median, approve a lease or calculate Centrelink entitlement. The percentage uses take-home income throughout. Thirty per cent is a reference point, not a “safe” threshold.
Method and worked example
Weekly income = your net pay + partner net pay + fortnightly benefits ÷ 2 + other net income. Weekly remainder = income − rent − all other spending − buffer. Average monthly rent = weekly rent × 52 ÷ 12; annual rent = weekly rent × 52.
Hypothetical example: $1,600 weekly income, $600 rent, $700 other spending and $150 buffer leaves $150 a week. Rent is 37.5% of net income and $2,600 per average month. A $300 income drop changes the remainder to −$150. If income is zero, the rent percentage is undefined and the tool says so; it does not invent a 100% ratio.
List groceries, utilities, health cover, childcare, school fees, transport, debt and irregular annual costs. Convert annual bills by dividing by 52 and monthly bills by multiplying by 12 ÷ 52. Zero is appropriate only where that expense is actually zero; an unknown school or insurance bill is a missing input.
Check entry cash and tenancy rules separately
For an ordinary NSW tenancy at $600 weekly rent, a four-week bond plus two weeks prepaid rent totals $3,600 before setup costs. NSW move-in rules. The calculator accepts quoted amounts rather than assuming the same rules apply nationally. Keep a reserve beyond this total.
Do not offer excessive bond or advance rent to strengthen an application. Victoria prohibits above-advertised rent and accepting over one month in advance. Victoria protections. Professional cleaning and application charges also need a jurisdiction-specific check.
A fixed term does not universally prohibit increases. Read NSW’s current rent-increase rules or the relevant state authority before relying on a quoted rent for a future period.
Benefits and rental decisions
Use Services Australia’s current Rent Assistance rules and rates to check the payment’s conditions. Add actual confirmed deposits here, including any Rent Assistance already in that total. A pending application is not reliable income.
For a practical cost checklist and more scenarios, read the rent budget guide.
Official tenancy routes
- NSW: NSW Fair Trading
- VIC: Consumer Affairs Victoria
- QLD: Residential Tenancies Authority
- WA: Consumer Protection WA
- SA: SA renting guidance
- TAS: Consumer, Building and Occupational Services
- ACT: ACT starting a tenancy and Renting Book
- NT: NT private renters
Questions and answers
Does a positive result mean this rent is safe?
No. It only means the entered amounts leave a remainder. Missing bills, changing income or an emergency can change the result.
Can the tool tell me my bond limit?
No. It totals your quoted entry amounts. Confirm the lawful limit and process with the relevant state authority.
Why did my result disappear when I edited a field?
Results are cleared after changes so an earlier budget cannot be mistaken for the current inputs. Calculate again when the entries are complete.