Three fair ways to split rent
- Evenly: simplest, and fair when the bedrooms are about the same.
- By bedroom size: everyone shares the common space equally, and the person with the big room or private bathroom pays more for it. The calculator splits a share of the rent (40% by default) evenly for the kitchen and living room, then splits the rest by each bedroom's square feet.
- By income: each person pays the same share of their income. Couples often use this when one partner earns a lot more.
Whatever you pick, agree on it before anyone moves in and write it down. Rent fights are almost always about a split nobody agreed to.
Common questions
How do you split rent when one room is bigger?
Use the bedroom size method. Measure each bedroom (length × width), enter the square feet, and the bigger room pays a bigger share of the private part of the rent. Bump the shared-space percentage down if the common areas are small.
Should the person with the private bathroom pay more?
Usually, yes. An easy fix is to add the bathroom's square feet to that person's bedroom.
Do you tip on the total with tax?
Most people tip on the bill before tax, and that's what this calculator does. Tipping on the total with tax is more generous, and either is fine.