Is $900 too much for rent?
Keep in mind the 30% rule doesn't include utilities or any other housing expenses — it's 30% of your gross income on rent alone. So, if you bring home $3,000 per month, then you should aim to spend around $900 (or less) on your monthly rent ($3,000 x 0.30 = $900). Keep in mind, this is just a general rule.
30 percent rule
If your income is $3,000 a month, for example, your rent should not exceed $900 under the 30-percent threshold. If it does, you may be considered cost-burdened, and thus have a harder time saving or reaching other financial goals.
Your rent payment, including renters insurance (more on that later), should be no more than 25% of your take-home pay. That means if you're bringing home $4,000 a month, your monthly rent should cost you $1,000 or less. And remember, that's 25% of your take-home pay—meaning what you bring in after taxes.
The amount you should spend on rent depends on several factors, including your income, location, and lifestyle. As a general guideline, it's recommended to spend no more than 30% of your income on rent. This means that if you make $3,200 a month, you should aim to spend no more than $960 on rent.
A popular standard for budgeting rent is to follow the 30% rule, where you spend a maximum of 30% of your monthly income before taxes (your gross income) on your rent. This has been a rule of thumb since 1981, when the government found that people who spent over 30% of their income on housing were "cost-burdened."
You could survive but not thrive. Without landing a low-income lottery apartment or having other sources of assistance for food and health benefits $900/month would be difficult to live off of in Los Angeles as of May 2017.
Bottom Line. Living on $1,000 per month is a challenge. From the high costs of housing, transportation and food, plus trying to keep your bills to a minimum, it would be difficult for anyone living alone to make this work. But with some creativity, roommates and strategy, you might be able to pull it off.
If you're trying to live on $1,000 a month, needs should likely take priority over wants. One good budget plan can be the 50/30/20 rule, which allocates 50% of one's take-home pay to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings.
Living on a $1,500 a month budget is absolutely possible. Whether you're in-between jobs, starting a business, paying off debt, or simply saving money, careful budgeting will help you meet your goals. Don't be fooled, though. Living on $1,500 a month or less is an extreme goal which requires extreme measures.
You should generally save between $6,000 and $12,000 before moving out. You'll need this money to find a place to live inside, purchase furniture, cover moving expenses, and pay other bills. You'll also want to have enough money saved up for an emergency fund before moving out.
Is 30% rent unrealistic?
Of course, spending less than 30% of your income on rent is unrealistic in some markets. Sometimes, it's next to impossible to find an apartment that fits these rent budget parameters. That's especially true in high-cost-of-living areas and with young renters moving out on their own for the first time.
The 50% rule or 50 rule in real estate says that half of the gross income generated by a rental property should be allocated to operating expenses when determining profitability. The rule is designed to help investors avoid the mistake of underestimating expenses and overestimating profits.
Spending 15% of your gross income on rent can help you save money, eat out, travel, and enjoy activities outside your apartment. If you already know you rarely spend time at home, this might be the best option for you. If you make $40,000/year, your suggested monthly rent would be about $500 at this rate.
The 30% rule states that you should try to spend no more than 30% of your gross monthly income on rent. So if your salary is $5,000 per month, your target rent payment would be $1,500 or less.
A common rule of thumb holds that you shouldn't spend more than 30% of your monthly income on housing or 40x the monthly rent. But, in certain metropolitan areas, you could be forced to spend way more to cover the cost of living in a larger city.
Many financial experts endorse the 30% rule because it's generally not recommended to spend more than 25% – 30% of your income on housing expenses. It puts the rest of your financial life at risk. For instance, if you make $4,000 a month, 25% – 30% of your monthly income shakes out to $1,000 – $1,200.