Rent Split Calculator

The fairest approach combines room size with room features. Each person pays a base rent proportional to their room's square meters, plus a premium or discount for features like a private bathroom or street noise. Shared areas like the kitchen and hallway are split equally among all residents. This hybrid method closely matches what most people perceive as fair in practice. For income-based splitting instead, try our Fair Share Calculator.

Equal splitting is only fair when all rooms are roughly the same size and quality. If one room is 18 m² and another is 12 m², the person in the larger room gets 50% more space but pays the same — that's not equitable. Splitting by room size ensures each person pays in proportion to the private space they actually use. Our calculator supports both methods so you can compare the results side by side.

Divide the total base rent (cold rent) by the total apartment area to get the price per square meter. For example, €900 rent for a 75 m² apartment equals €12 per m². Then multiply each room's area by this rate to get its share. A 15 m² room would cost €180 in base rent. Our calculator does this automatically and also handles shared areas separately so you get an accurate breakdown.

Common areas — kitchen, bathroom, hallway, and living room — are used equally by everyone, so the rent for that space is split evenly per person. The calculator subtracts all bedroom sizes from the total area to determine the shared portion. For a 75 m² apartment with 45 m² of bedrooms, 30 m² is shared space, and its cost is divided equally among all roommates regardless of individual room size.

Utilities (heating, water, electricity, internet, broadcasting fee) are best split equally per person since they relate to usage rather than room size. In Germany, the GEZ broadcasting fee of €18.36 per month is charged per household and shared equally. Some roommates split electricity by actual usage with sub-meters, but equal splitting is simpler and usually close enough. Our calculator separates base rent (split by m²) from additional costs (split per person) for maximum fairness.

Room features adjust the effective value of a room up or down. A private bathroom adds about 20% to a room's value, while street noise reduces it by about 15%. Our Feature mode (m² + Features) lets you check advantages like balcony access or disadvantages like no windows. The weights are based on survey data about perceived fairness. A 15 m² room with a private bathroom is treated like an 18 m² room in the calculation.

For roommates and flatmates, splitting by room size is more common and usually considered fairer — everyone pays for the space they get. Income-based splitting works better for couples or families who share a household budget. If your household has significant income differences and you'd prefer proportional sharing, our Fair Share Calculator calculates each person's contribution based on their earnings. You can also combine both approaches: rent by room size, other costs by income.

A private balcony accessible only from one room increases that room's value by about 10% in our calculation. A shared balcony, on the other hand, is treated as common area and its cost is split equally. If the balcony is large (e.g. a terrace), you might count half its area as additional room space. Use the Feature mode in our calculator to automatically apply the balcony premium for an accurate split.

Enter the couple's room as a single room entry — the calculator determines the fair rent for that room based on its size and features. The couple then splits that room's cost between themselves however they prefer (50/50 or by income). For per-person utilities like electricity and internet, count the couple as two people. Track ongoing shared expenses easily with GoodShare, which handles both roommate splits and couple budgets in one app.

Recalculate whenever rent changes, someone moves in or out, or utility costs shift significantly. At minimum, review the split once a year — the annual utility settlement (Nebenkostenabrechnung) in Germany is a natural reminder. When roommate composition changes, the shared area portion and per-person costs both need updating. Save and share the calculation via the share link so all roommates can access it anytime.