{
  "id": "salary-to-rent-index",
  "slug": "reports/salary-to-rent-index",
  "title": "International Salary-to-Rent Ratio Index 2026",
  "shortTitle": "Salary-to-Rent Ratio Index",
  "subtitle": "Benchmarking housing affordability by measuring central 1-bedroom rent as a percentage of individual net take-home pay.",
  "metaDescription": "The 2026 Salary-to-Rent Index evaluates median net professional income against HUD, ONS, and DSC rental data across 10 major global cities.",
  "publishedDate": "2026-10-03",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-10-06",
  "citationString": "LivWorthy Research Institute. (2026). International Salary-to-Rent Ratio Index 2026. https://www.livworthy.com/reports/salary-to-rent-index",
  "methodologyNotes": [
    "Housing costs reflect median 1-bedroom apartment rents in central business districts.",
    "Income baselines reflect median professional worker earnings from municipal and national labor agencies.",
    "Rent burden threshold: Below 30% is considered financially sound; 30–40% is moderate; above 40% represents significant housing cost distress."
  ],
  "primarySources": [
    {
      "name": "U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD FMR FY2026)",
      "url": "https://www.huduser.gov",
      "jurisdiction": "United States"
    },
    {
      "name": "UK Valuation Office Agency / ONS",
      "url": "https://www.ons.gov.uk",
      "jurisdiction": "United Kingdom"
    },
    {
      "name": "Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis)",
      "url": "https://www.destatis.de",
      "jurisdiction": "Germany"
    }
  ],
  "summaryInsights": [
    "Austin (30%), Zurich (32%), and Dubai (34%) offer the most favorable salary-to-rent profiles (<35% of net pay), affording median professionals substantial uncommitted savings.",
    "New York City and London exhibit severe housing burdens, where central 1-bed rents absorb 57% and 55% of median net professional take-home pay respectively.",
    "Austin provides substantially lower rent burdens (30%) than coastal US technology hubs like New York (57%) and San Francisco (41%)."
  ],
  "tableHeaders": [
    "Metro & Country",
    "Median Gross Salary",
    "Net Monthly Pay",
    "Median 1-Bed Rent",
    "Rent-to-Net Ratio",
    "Housing Burden Tier"
  ],
  "tableRows": [
    [
      "Austin, United States",
      "USD 82,000",
      "USD 5,543",
      "USD 1,650",
      "30%",
      "MODERATE (30–40%)"
    ],
    [
      "Zurich, Switzerland",
      "CHF 110,000",
      "CHF 7,118",
      "CHF 2,250",
      "32%",
      "MODERATE (30–40%)"
    ],
    [
      "Dubai, United Arab Emirates",
      "AED 240,000",
      "AED 20,000",
      "AED 6,800",
      "34%",
      "MODERATE (30–40%)"
    ],
    [
      "Sydney, Australia",
      "AUD 95,000",
      "AUD 6,151",
      "AUD 2,700",
      "44%",
      "BURDENSOME (>40%)"
    ],
    [
      "Berlin, Germany",
      "EUR 62,000",
      "EUR 2,759",
      "EUR 1,250",
      "45%",
      "BURDENSOME (>40%)"
    ],
    [
      "Paris, France",
      "EUR 52,000",
      "EUR 3,178",
      "EUR 1,500",
      "47%",
      "BURDENSOME (>40%)"
    ],
    [
      "Toronto, Canada",
      "CAD 78,000",
      "CAD 4,823",
      "CAD 2,450",
      "51%",
      "BURDENSOME (>40%)"
    ],
    [
      "Munich, Germany",
      "EUR 68,000",
      "EUR 2,949",
      "EUR 1,600",
      "54%",
      "BURDENSOME (>40%)"
    ],
    [
      "London, United Kingdom",
      "GBP 55,000",
      "GBP 3,538",
      "GBP 1,950",
      "55%",
      "BURDENSOME (>40%)"
    ],
    [
      "New York City, United States",
      "USD 75,000",
      "USD 4,639",
      "USD 2,655",
      "57%",
      "BURDENSOME (>40%)"
    ]
  ],
  "downloadableCsvUrl": "/reports/salary-to-rent-index.csv",
  "downloadableJsonUrl": "/reports/salary-to-rent-index.json"
}