Split rent fairly between roommates
Free rent split calculator: split rent evenly or by income between roommates, plus how to split by room size with a worked example. No sign up needed.
Rent is the biggest bill most roommates share, so the split has to feel right to everyone for the whole lease, not just the first month. The rent split calculator above handles the two common methods directly: an even split, and a split by income where everyone pays the same percentage of what they earn.
The third common method, splitting by room size, is shown below with a full worked example you can follow with a phone calculator. Everything runs in your browser, nothing is saved, and no sign up is needed.
How to use the rent split calculator
For an even split:
- Keep Split evenly selected and enter the monthly rent as the Bill total.
- Set Number of people to the number of roommates.
- Leave the tip on No tip.
- Read Each person pays and the note that says who pays the extra cent.
For a split by income:
- Choose Split by income and enter the rent as the Bill total.
- Type each roommate’s Name and Monthly income. Use Add a person for up to 8 people.
- Read each share and its percentage of the rent, then tap Share result.
Worked example: $2,400 rent, three roommates
Maya, Jon and Priya rent a three bedroom flat for $2,400 a month. Maya’s room is 15 m², Jon’s is 12 m² and Priya’s is 9 m², so the bedrooms add up to 36 m². Here are three ways to split it.
| Roommate | Even split | By room size | Half even, half by size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya (15 m²) | $800 | $1,000 | $900 |
| Jon (12 m²) | $800 | $800 | $800 |
| Priya (9 m²) | $800 | $600 | $700 |
| Total | $2,400 | $2,400 | $2,400 |
Even split. $2,400 ÷ 3 = $800 each. When the rent does not divide evenly, the calculator works in cents and says who pays the extra cent. At $2,350, 235,000 cents ÷ 3 leaves one cent over, so one person pays $783.34 and two pay $783.33, which adds up to exactly $2,350.00.
By room size. Each person pays their share of the bedroom space:
- Maya: $2,400 × 15 ÷ 36 = $1,000
- Jon: $2,400 × 12 ÷ 36 = $800
- Priya: $2,400 × 9 ÷ 36 = $600
Half even, half by size. The kitchen, bathroom and living room are shared equally, so many households split only half the rent by room size. Half the rent is $1,200, and everyone pays $1,200 ÷ 3 = $400 for the shared space. The other $1,200 is split by room size: Maya $1,200 × 15 ÷ 36 = $500, Jon $400, Priya $300. So Maya pays $400 + $500 = $900, Jon $400 + $400 = $800 and Priya $400 + $300 = $700.
Square feet work the same way. Only the ratio between the rooms matters.
By income. If Maya earns $5,200 a month, Jon $3,900 and Priya $2,900, together they earn $12,000. The rent is 20% of that, so the calculator’s income mode gives Maya $1,040, Jon $780 and Priya $580. Each pays 20% of their income, and the shares add up to $2,400.
Which split is fairest for your flat
| Your situation | Method that usually feels fair |
|---|---|
| Rooms about the same size | Even split |
| One room much bigger, or with its own bathroom | Half even, half by size |
| Big differences in room size and little shared space | Fully by room size |
| Very different incomes, close friends or a couple | By income |
| One person has a parking space or a balcony | Even split, plus an agreed extra for that person |
Agree on the method before anyone signs the lease, write it down, and use the same method for the deposit so that the money comes back in the same proportions when you move out.
When a calculator is not enough
Rent comes every month, and so do electricity, internet, groceries and the cleaning supplies someone bought on the way home. Half Tab keeps all of it in one group for the flat. Its shares split does the room size method for you: give Maya 15 shares, Jon 12 and Priya 9, and every rent payment is divided in that ratio. Other expenses can be split equally, by exact amounts or by percentage, and the app shows who owes whom in the fewest payments. It works offline on iPhone and iPad, and roommates do not need the app unless they want to add expenses themselves.
More calculators and guides
- The utility bill splitter for electricity, water and internet.
- The couples expense calculator if you share a flat with a partner.
- The main split bill calculator.
- Our guide on how to split bills with roommates, from the deposit to the last month.
Split bill calculator questions
What is the fairest way to split rent with roommates?
If the rooms are about the same, split evenly. If one room is clearly bigger or has its own bathroom, split by room size, or split half evenly and half by size. If incomes are very different and everyone agrees, split by income. The decision table on this page shows when each one fits.
How do you split rent by room size?
Measure each bedroom, add the sizes up, and give each person the share of rent that matches their share of the total. With rooms of 15, 12 and 9 square metres, the first room is 15 of 36, so on $2,400 rent that person pays $2,400 × 15 ÷ 36 = $1,000. Many households split only half the rent this way and the other half evenly, because the kitchen and living room are shared.
Should roommates split rent by income?
It can be fair when incomes are very different and the roommates are close friends or a couple. Each person then pays the same percentage of their income. Choose Split by income in the calculator above and enter everyone's monthly income to see the amounts.
How do you split rent when someone moves in mid-month?
Work out the daily rent and charge the new roommate for the days they live there. In a 30 day month with $2,400 rent, one day is $80, so 10 days is $800. The others share the rest. The Half Tab app can record these exact amounts.
Should utilities be split the same way as rent?
Not always. Many households split rent by room size but split internet and water evenly, because everyone uses them equally. See our utility bill splitter for the details.
More free calculators
Stop doing the maths in the group chat
Download Half Tab for free and let the app keep the running total for every trip, flat and dinner.