Affordability Calculator
Bay Area Affordability Calculator: See what price range actually fits
Enter your household numbers and see an estimated price range, monthly payment, and total cash needed. All values are estimates for planning, not a pre-approval.
Your numbers
Pre-filled with demo values — change them to match your situation.
Estimated purchase price range
$615K – $725K
Based on a 40% debt-to-income assumption
Saved on this device as your budget — see which Bay Area cities fit it.
Estimated monthly housing budget
$5,533
Max housing payment at 40% DTI
Estimated loan amount
$605K
Principal & interest
$3,826
Monthly
Property tax
$755
Monthly
Insurance
$200
Monthly
HOA
$500
Monthly
PMI
$252
Monthly — down payment under 20%
Estimated total monthly payment
$5,533
Principal, interest, tax, insurance, PMI, HOA
Estimated cash needed
$149,198
Down payment + ~2.5% closing + 2 months reserve
Payment breakdown
This is an educational estimate only and not loan approval or financial advice.
View amortization schedule (30 years)
Based on a $605K loan at 6.5% over 30 years — principal and interest only. Doesn't include tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.
| Year | Principal paid | Interest paid | Ending balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6,762 | $39,126 | $598,238 |
| 2 | $7,215 | $38,673 | $591,023 |
| 3 | $7,698 | $38,190 | $583,324 |
| 4 | $8,214 | $37,674 | $575,110 |
| 5 | $8,764 | $37,124 | $566,346 |
| 6 | $9,351 | $36,537 | $556,995 |
| 7 | $9,977 | $35,911 | $547,018 |
| 8 | $10,645 | $35,243 | $536,373 |
| 9 | $11,358 | $34,530 | $525,015 |
| 10 | $12,119 | $33,769 | $512,896 |
| 11 | $12,931 | $32,957 | $499,965 |
| 12 | $13,797 | $32,092 | $486,168 |
| 13 | $14,721 | $31,168 | $471,448 |
| 14 | $15,706 | $30,182 | $455,741 |
| 15 | $16,758 | $29,130 | $438,983 |
| 16 | $17,881 | $28,007 | $421,102 |
| 17 | $19,078 | $26,810 | $402,024 |
| 18 | $20,356 | $25,532 | $381,668 |
| 19 | $21,719 | $24,169 | $359,949 |
| 20 | $23,174 | $22,714 | $336,775 |
| 21 | $24,726 | $21,162 | $312,049 |
| 22 | $26,382 | $19,506 | $285,667 |
| 23 | $28,149 | $17,740 | $257,519 |
| 24 | $30,034 | $15,854 | $227,485 |
| 25 | $32,045 | $13,843 | $195,440 |
| 26 | $34,191 | $11,697 | $161,249 |
| 27 | $36,481 | $9,407 | $124,768 |
| 28 | $38,924 | $6,964 | $85,844 |
| 29 | $41,531 | $4,357 | $44,313 |
| 30 | $44,313 | $1,576 | $0 |
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Transparency
What this calculator assumes
We show the math instead of hiding it. Real lender numbers will differ based on credit, loan program, and property.
Debt-to-income
We assume up to 40% of gross monthly income goes to housing plus existing debt.
Property tax
Defaults to 1.25%/yr of purchase price — typical for non-Mello-Roos Santa Clara County. Newer subdivisions with a Mello-Roos CFD often run 1.5%–1.7%; adjust the rate to match.
Insurance
Defaults to $2,400/yr, in line with 2026 California averages for a higher-value Bay Area home. Actual premiums vary a lot by fire-hazard zone — get a real quote.
Loan terms
Choose 15- or 30-year fixed.
PMI
Applied automatically at 0.5%/yr of the loan whenever down payment is under 20% — real PMI runs roughly 0.3%–1.5%/yr depending on credit score.
Cash needed
Down payment, plus ~2.5% closing costs, plus 2 months of payments held in reserve.
Already have a specific home in mind? Try the mortgage calculator instead — enter its price directly and see the exact monthly payment.
Want the full monthly picture for that home, including HOA, Mello-Roos/CFD, and what's still unverified? Try True Cost.
Home Buying Resource Guides
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Bay Area First-Time Buyer True Cost Checklist
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Bay Area affordability calculator questions
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FAQ
Bay Area affordability calculator questions
Short answers to the buying-power questions first-time buyers usually ask before talking to a lender.