Can I Afford…? · Free · No sign up · Instant

Can I Afford a $500,000 House?

Housing & Rent Affordability

A $500,000 purchase price is pre-loaded with 20% down and a 30-year mortgage so you can stress-test the payment against the 28/36 DTI rule before you tour homes.

Remember · Share

Inputs save on this device only. Share a link to reopen your exact numbers.

Inputs

Pre-filled · editable

1000002000000
30000500000
060
1030
112
03000
08000

Pro strategic insights

Come back later

Affordability check-ins

Snapshots stay on this device. Recalculate when rates or income change. Not lending approval or financial advice.

No snapshots yet — save one to track change over time.

Plain-English guide

Terms & how it works

Confused by a field? Read the short definitions here while you use the tool.

  • Income

    Money you earn that can support a payment. Higher stable income usually increases what looks affordable.

  • Existing debts

    Other monthly obligations (loans, cards). More debt leaves less room for a new payment.

  • Target price / cost

    The sticker price or annual cost you’re checking against your budget.

The 28/36 Housing DTI Rule

Lenders and planners often use debt-to-income (DTI) caps: housing costs near 28% of gross income, and all debts under 36%.

  • 28% front-end: principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI).
  • 36% back-end: PITI plus car loans, cards, student debt, etc.
  • Staying under both leaves room for savings and surprises.

How to use this calculator

  1. Keep or edit the $500,000 target price.
  2. Enter household gross income and existing monthly debts.
  3. Set taxes/insurance escrow for your ZIP.
  4. Compare housing and total DTI caps in the live results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Under the 28/36 rule, housing (PITI) should stay near 28% of gross income and all debts under 36%. This page models a $500,000 price with your income, rate, and down payment.

Related affordability checks