This is one of those financial rules of thumb, like saving 20 percent of your pay cheque. When you’re picking between units, you can pay less attention to the price difference when it still falls within the realm of affordability.

For example, say you have a monthly income of $7,500. You would then budget a maximum of $3,000 a month for you to spend on rent. Between a unit that costs $2,600 a month, and a unit that costs $3,000 a month, you’ll know you’re “safe” picking the more expensive unit. It still falls within the realm of affordability.

As to why 40 percent, that’s because it still allows you save and have decent discretionary income. In the case of $7,500, you could still save $1,500 a month for emergencies, and have $3,000 a month to spend on scented candles, string quartet concerts, and other things that only expatriates buy.

你有按专家的建议分配你的收入吗？ 总体而言， 你应该用不多于40%的月收入来租房