Property & Home · Affordability
House Affordability Calculator — What home can you afford?
Combine your borrowing power with your deposit to find a realistic purchase price.
What you enter
- Household income (gross)
- Deposit saved
- Other monthly repayments
- Monthly living expenses
- Interest rate
How this is calculated
We combine two numbers: your estimated borrowing power (net income minus expenses and debts, serviced at your rate plus a 3% buffer over 30 years) and your deposit. Borrowing power plus deposit is the estimated price you could pay. The deposit percentage matters too — below 20% of the purchase price, lenders typically charge Lenders Mortgage Insurance.
Common questions
Does this include stamp duty and buying costs?
No — stamp duty, conveyancing, inspections and LMI come out of your savings on top of the deposit. A practical rule: keep roughly 5% of the purchase price aside for costs, and check the Stamp Duty calculator for your state's figure.
How much deposit do I actually need?
Most lenders want 20% to avoid Lenders Mortgage Insurance, but many lend at 10% or even 5% with LMI added to the loan. Government schemes like the First Home Guarantee can allow 5% deposits without LMI for eligible buyers.
Why is my number lower than what agents suggest I can afford?
This estimate applies the same +3% assessment buffer a bank would, and assumes your stated expenses are accurate. It's deliberately conservative — borrowing to the absolute maximum leaves no room for rate rises or life changes.
How does it rank?
Once you have your result, see how your number compares against your demographic with our full money rank — by age, sex, state and household composition.
Methodology & data
ASSESSED AT +3% BUFFER · INDICATIVE. Australian context, FY 2026–27 tax brackets by default (15% lowest marginal rate from 1 July 2026) with a financial-year selector on tax calculators. Calculations are indicative and based on simplified public models — not personal financial, tax or legal advice. See the full disclaimer.
Primary data sources
- Australian Taxation Office — Taxation Statistics — Individuals Tables 3A & 4A (income by age, sex & state) (2023–24)
- Australian Bureau of Statistics — Household Income and Wealth, Australia — net worth by age & net-worth quintiles (2019–20)
- Australian Taxation Office — Taxation Statistics — Individuals Table 22 (super balance by age) & Table 23A (age × sex) (2023–24)
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