Money
How much rent can I afford in South Florida?
A common rule of thumb is to keep rent at or under 30% of your gross income, which is the line HUD uses for housing cost burden, so a $72,000 salary points to about $1,800 a month. Landlords run their own test, usually income of three times the rent, which on the same salary allows up to $2,000. In South Florida, budget the electric bill, car costs and any association or pet fees on top of the rent before you decide.
Updated Last checked 3 min read
Quick answer
- 30% of gross income is the classic ceiling: $1,800 a month on $72,000.
- Landlords' 3x rule allows up to a third of gross income: $2,000 on $72,000.
- Broward's median gross rent is $1,907 a month, and its median household income, owners included, is $77,633.
- Add electricity, renters insurance, parking, pet rent and commuting to the rent.
On this page
The 30% rule and where it comes from
The idea that housing should take no more than 30% of income goes back to public housing rules. HUD's research office traces it to the 1969 Brooke Amendment, which capped public housing rent at 25% of income, raised to 30% in 1981.
| Gross salary | Monthly gross | Rent at 30% | Most rent at 3x |
|---|---|---|---|
| $55,000 | $4,583 | $1,375 | $1,528 |
| $72,000 | $6,000 | $1,800 | $2,000 |
| $95,000 | $7,917 | $2,375 | $2,639 |
What renters here pay
Census figures from the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey give a sense of the market. Median gross rent includes utilities when the renter pays them. Median household income covers all households, owners included, and renters as a group earn less, so the typical renter's share of income is higher than these two numbers suggest.
| County | Median gross rent | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | $1,829 | $71,753 |
| Broward | $1,907 | $77,633 |
| Palm Beach | $1,916 | $83,581 |
Those medians include people who signed their leases years ago, so homes listed today usually ask more. The reasons the figures differ are in what the rent numbers mean.
A worked budget on $72,000
- Gross pay a month
- $6,000
- Rent at 30%
- $1,800
- Electricity, about 1,000 kWh in a summer month
- About $131 before local taxes and fees
- Rent and power
- About $1,931
The electric figure comes from the Florida Public Service Commission's comparison of residential bills for 1,000 kWh at the end of 2025, where FPL's was $130.68 before local taxes and fees. A bigger place or a colder thermostat in August uses more. Add a renters insurance quote for your address and your own car costs, and the $6,000 a month gets spoken for fast.
Costs that sit on top of rent
- Commuting. The average one-way commute is 29.1 minutes in Broward and 30.9 in Miami-Dade, per the Census. Cheaper rent farther out can cost you back in gas and SunPass tolls on the Turnpike and the I-95 express lanes.
- Parking. Downtown Miami and Fort Lauderdale buildings often charge for a space.
- Pets. Monthly pet rent and a pet deposit, if the landlord charges them.
- Association or amenity fees. Some rentals pass through a monthly fee. Count it as rent.
- Move-in cash. First month, deposit and sometimes last month, all due before you get the keys.
When to go above 30%
Plenty of South Florida renters do, and sometimes it's the right call: no car payment, a short walk to work, a roommate splitting utilities, or a raise you know is coming. The question is whether you can still save a little every month and cover a surprise. If the honest answer is no, look one price band down. And if the rent you're weighing is close to a mortgage payment, run the could-I-buy math before you sign.
Questions people ask
Does the 30% rule include utilities?
In HUD's version it does: housing cost means rent plus utilities. The budget above adds power on top of a 30% rent, so to stay inside HUD's line, keep rent and power together near 30% of gross pay.
Is the 30% rule realistic in Miami?
It's tight. Miami-Dade's median gross rent of $1,829 is already about 31% of the county's median household income, and renters typically earn less than that median, so many spend more than 30%.
Should I budget rent from gross or take-home pay?
Landlords and the 30% rule use gross income. For your own budget, check that rent still works against take-home pay after taxes and deductions.
Free help from Rentvana
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Words in this guide
Sources
- HUD PD&R Edge: Rental Burdens, Rethinking Affordability Measureshuduser.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Broward County, Floridacensus.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Miami-Dade County, Floridacensus.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Palm Beach County, Floridacensus.gov
- Florida Public Service Commission: Comparative rate statistics, December 31, 2025floridapsc.com
Checked against these sources on by Rentvana Editorial. If something has changed, email hello@rentvana.com and we'll fix it.
Questions?
Call 888-601-8344 to talk to a licensed agent, or email hello@rentvana.com and one gets back to you within 1 hour, 8am to 9pm. Renters never pay Rentvana.