How much house can we afford? (UK couples guide)

“Afford” isn’t just whether the mortgage gets approved. It’s whether you can pay the shared monthly total and still have enough left for life, saving, and resilience. This guide uses a simple couple‑friendly metric: leftover after shared costs.

Last updated: 2025-12-17

Built by Brandon

Methodology

Use the calculator with an affordability + savings goal setup

Opens the calculator with a savings goal and realistic shared costs, so you can adjust house price and see leftovers change instantly.

No signup. Private. Links are shareable and can be reset anytime.

Use the calculator with these defaults Open the calculator

The core idea: treat savings like a bill

Many couples “afford” a house on paper but stop saving once they move in. A more sustainable approach is to pick a savings goal first, then see what house price leaves enough leftover to hit it.

In the calculator, set a monthly savings goal. The “Comfortable / Tight / Risky” label then reflects whether your combined leftover covers the goal and a small buffer.

What to include in shared monthly costs

For affordability decisions, include the boring stuff: council tax, utilities, insurance, and a maintenance buffer. Groceries can be included or treated separately — but whichever you choose, keep it consistent when comparing house prices.

Don’t skip resilience checks

The same house can feel fine today and stressful in six months. That’s why you should check: +1% and +2% rate rises, and whether either person could cover the shared costs alone.

Worked affordability examples

Each example uses the same incomes and costs — only the property price and/or deposit changes. This makes the trade‑off obvious.

Example 1: aim to save £600/month together

House price: £375,000 · Deposit: 15%

Monthly shared total: £2,619 · Savings goal: £600

Household leftover

£3,181

Classification: Comfortable (Comfortable ≥ £1,250 · Tight ≥ £600)

Leftovers (selected split): A £1,865 · B £1,316

Rate rise stress test

+1% shared total: £2,822 · +2% shared total: £3,036

One‑income check: A alone works · B alone doesn’t work

Open this scenario in the calculator Back to the main calculator

Example 2: same incomes, higher house price (stress test)

House price: £450,000 · Deposit: 15%

Monthly shared total: £2,920 · Savings goal: £600

Household leftover

£2,880

Classification: Comfortable (Comfortable ≥ £1,250 · Tight ≥ £600)

Leftovers (selected split): A £1,688 · B £1,192

Rate rise stress test

+1% shared total: £3,164 · +2% shared total: £3,421

One‑income check: A alone works · B alone doesn’t work

Open this scenario in the calculator Back to the main calculator

Example 3: reduce rate risk with a bigger deposit

House price: £450,000 · Deposit: 25%

Monthly shared total: £2,707 · Savings goal: £600

Household leftover

£3,093

Classification: Comfortable (Comfortable ≥ £1,250 · Tight ≥ £600)

Leftovers (selected split): A £1,813 · B £1,280

Rate rise stress test

+1% shared total: £2,922 · +2% shared total: £3,149

One‑income check: A alone works · B alone doesn’t work

Open this scenario in the calculator Back to the main calculator

FAQ

Is the mortgage payment exact?

It’s the standard amortization estimate for a repayment mortgage. Your lender’s quote may differ slightly due to product fees, timing, and rounding — use this for planning and comparisons.

What’s a good savings goal?

There’s no universal number. Pick something that matches your priorities (emergency fund, holidays, renovations, childcare), then use the leftover and stress tests to see if it’s realistic.

Should we include groceries as shared costs?

If you’re using this to decide house price, it’s often better to include groceries so the leftover reflects real life. If you keep spending separate, toggle groceries off and treat it as personal spending.

Where does Stamp Duty fit in?

Stamp Duty is an upfront cost. It can reduce your deposit and change the loan amount — which changes the monthly payment. Use the Stamp Duty guide for couples to estimate it.