How much rent can you actually afford?
Two numbers decide it, and they are usually different. What a letting agent will accept, and what your own budget will carry. The honest answer is the lower one.
Before tax and deductions. Agents work off this number.
Car finance, personal loans, credit cards, store accounts.
Food, transport, school fees, medical aid, insurance, data.
We hold back 10% of your income as a buffer, because something always comes up and rent is the one bill you cannot skip.
Put in your gross monthly income to get started. Add the rest for a realistic answer.
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A guide, not advice, and not a credit decision. Landlords and agents set their own rules, and some ask for a deposit and the first month up front, which this does not include. Our other tools.
What letting agents actually look at
The 30% rule
Most agents want your rent at or under 30% of gross monthly income. It is a rule of thumb, not a law, but it is the one they apply.
Affordability, not just income
They will look at your bank statements and existing debt. Qualifying on the 30% rule and passing an affordability check are two different hurdles.
What you pay up front
Usually a deposit of one to two months plus the first month's rent, sometimes an admin fee. Budget for it separately, because it lands all at once.
One thing people forget when they move
Your landlord insures the building. Your things inside it are your problem. Household contents cover is usually a small monthly amount next to rent, and moving is the moment most people discover they never had it.