Compare rent, salaries, and living costs in your city. See detailed breakdowns for London, Manchester, New York, San Francisco, and 46 more.
View All Cities →We use actual 2026 market data for 50+ cities across the UK and US.
Studio, 1-bed, shared house, coliving — pick the option that fits.
Get your affordability score and honest recommendations instantly.
Living alone comes with real costs: housing, utilities, groceries, transport, and the unexpected expenses life throws at you. But affordability isn't just about how much you earn — it's about how much of that income you actually have left to live on after essentials.
Many people use outdated rules like the "30% rule" (spend no more than 30% of income on rent), but that leaves little room for everything else. The 50/30/20 rule gives you a more realistic framework:
Rent, utilities, groceries, transport, insurance, debt — non-negotiable.
Dining out, entertainment, hobbies, travel — the good stuff.
Emergency fund, retirement, goals — your safety net.
When you live with others, bills and rent get split. Alone, they're all yours. A £1200 flat is manageable with a housemate at £600 each — but if you're earning £2000 a month, that £1200 solo rent is 60% of your income before food, bills, or anything else. This calculator shows you the real picture.
Use the calculator below to enter your income, housing type, city, and lifestyle preferences. It will show you whether your desired living situation is sustainable, and where you might need to adjust.
Fill in your details above to get started.
It depends on your location and housing choice. If a 1-bed flat costs £900/month and your income is £2500, that's 36% of your gross income on housing alone — still within the 50% needs budget, but tight. If that same flat costs £1400, you're at 56%, and something has to give. The calculator helps you find your exact number.
In most UK cities, yes — but only with careful shopping and minimal food waste. Budget shops like Aldi or Lidl make this possible. Factor in a little extra for occasional takeaways (that's your "wants" budget), and the whole picture becomes clearer.
If you own or finance a car, include the monthly payment, insurance, fuel, and maintenance. If you use public transport, just add the monthly pass. Car ownership is a major expense — it changes your affordability picture significantly, which is why this calculator lets you choose.
Use your average monthly income, or be conservative and use your lower-end estimate. The 50/30/20 rule works best when you have a consistent income. If yours fluctuates wildly, build a larger emergency fund (pull from your 20% savings) to cover the lean months.
Yes — student loans are part of your "needs" in the 50/30/20 framework, especially if they're mandatory repayments. Include them in your calculation so you see the real affordability picture. This is often where people underestimate their actual expenses.
The 20% savings portion of the 50/30/20 rule handles this over time. But ideally, keep 3–6 months of living expenses in an emergency fund before you commit to living alone. It's the difference between a crisis and a manageable bump.