Rent is the headline number, but it's rarely the number that breaks a budget. Utilities, renters insurance, internet, parking, pet rent, and the first-month furniture spend add hundreds of dollars on top of the lease.
The budget planner below lets you stack every recurring cost in one view so you can see what's actually leaving your account each month — and how much is left for savings.
| Category | Monthly | % of income |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $ | 32.0% |
| Utilities (electric, gas, water) | $ | 3.0% |
| Internet | $ | 1.2% |
| Renters insurance | $ | 0.4% |
| Groceries | $ | 10.0% |
| Transportation | $ | 6.0% |
| Debt payments | $ | 8.0% |
| Savings | $ | 15.0% |
| Discretionary | $ | 12.0% |
| Total spending | $4,380 | 87.6% |
| Left over | $620 |
Amber cells flag categories outside recommended benchmarks (housing >35%, debt >15%, savings <10%).
How it works
Enter your take-home pay and itemize each monthly cost. The planner totals fixed costs, variable costs, and savings, then shows what percent of your income each category consumes. Categories highlighted in amber are running above recommended benchmarks (housing >35%, debt >15%, savings <10%).
Save your inputs locally — nothing is sent to a server. The numbers persist in your browser until you clear them.
Frequently asked questions
- What should my full apartment budget look like?
- A healthy baseline: 30% rent, 5–10% utilities and internet, 10–15% groceries, 10% transportation, 10–15% debt, 15–20% savings, with the remainder for discretionary spending. Adjust based on cost of living.
- How much should I budget for utilities?
- Plan $80–$200/month for electricity, $30–$60 for gas (climate-dependent), $50–$80 for internet, and $20–$40 for renters insurance. Studio renters in mild climates often land near the low end of each range.
- Are the planner inputs private?
- Yes. Numbers are stored only in your browser's local storage. Nothing is uploaded, no account is required, and clearing your browser data removes everything.
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