Rent Split Calculator (Even, by Income, or by Room)
Enter the rent, add your roommates, and compare three fair ways to split it — evenly, in proportion to income, or by room size.
Utilities, internet, renters insurance
How should it be split?
Everyone pays the same.
| Person | Share | Pays per month |
|---|---|---|
| Roommate 1 | 50.0% | $1,290 |
| Roommate 2 | 50.0% | $1,290 |
| Total | 100% | $2,580 |
Three ways to split, one honest conversation
Evenly is the default for roommates with similar rooms and similar incomes — zero math, zero ambiguity. By income makes housing cost the same percentage of everyone's paycheck, which is the most-recommended approach for couples with a salary gap. By room size prices the floor plan: the master with a private bath simply is a better product than the small room facing the alley. The calculator shows all three in two clicks — worked examples and scripts for the conversation are in our rent-splitting guide.
A rule of thumb for the total
However you split it, check the result against the classic affordability guardrail: housing at or under 30% of gross income (or inside the "needs" half of a 50/30/20 budget). If someone's share breaks that line, the fair fix is usually a different split — or a different apartment — rather than a quietly resentful roommate.
After the split: the tracking problem
Splitting rent is a one-time decision; splitting everything else — utilities that fluctuate, the Costco run, the streaming accounts — is a monthly negotiation. Shared spreadsheets rot and Venmo requests get awkward. Stoia's roommate workspaces give the household one shared view of shared expenses while everyone's personal finances stay private, and each person still sees their own complete net worth.
Frequently asked questions
What's the fairest way to split rent?
There's no single answer — there are three defensible ones. Evenly: simplest, works when rooms and incomes are similar. By income: each person pays the same share of their paycheck — common for couples with different salaries. By room size: whoever gets the master with the ensuite pays more. The fairest split is the one everyone agrees to before moving in.
How does splitting rent by income work?
Each person's share equals their income divided by the household's combined income. If you earn $4,500/month and your partner earns $3,200, you pay 58% of the rent and they pay 42%. Both of you end up spending the same percentage of your income on housing, which many couples find fairer than 50/50.
Should couples split rent 50/50 or by income?
50/50 treats the household as equal partners with equal obligations; proportional treats it as equal sacrifice. With a large income gap, 50/50 can leave one partner with no savings while the other builds wealth — which is why proportional splitting is the most-recommended approach in that situation. Talk about it explicitly; resentment compounds like interest.
How should we split utilities and shared bills?
Most households split utilities evenly even when rent is split by room size, since everyone uses the internet and heat equally. This calculator lets you add shared bills on top of rent and applies the same split to the total — switch modes to see both options and pick per your situation.
What's the best way to track shared expenses after moving in?
The split is the easy part — the ongoing tracking is where roommate finances fall apart. A shared workspace where rent, utilities, and groceries are visible to everyone (while personal accounts stay private) beats a group chat full of screenshots. That's exactly what Stoia's roommate workspaces are built for.
Want this to update itself?
Stoia connects your real accounts and keeps the full picture current — net worth, budgets, and goals. Launching in 2026.