Split bills by income
A fair way to split costs as a couple
Earn different amounts? Enter both take-home pays and your shared monthly costs: the calculator shows how much each of you puts in, fairly for both.
Fill in the three fields to see the result.
Your numbers stay on your device: we don't save them and we can't see them.
How the calculation works
Add up both take-home pays and see how much each one weighs on the total. If you take home 2,000 a month and your partner 1,500, the total is 3,500: you bring 57% and your partner 43%. With 1,400 of shared costs, you put in 800 and your partner 600.
Why split by income, not 50/50
With a 50/50 split, household costs eat a bigger slice of the lower earner's pay. Splitting by income means each of you contributes according to what you earn, and you both keep a similar share of your pay at the end of the month. It isn't a rule: it's a starting point to talk it through together.
Frequently asked questions
Should we use take-home or gross pay?
Take-home: it's what actually lands in your account and what you pay the bills with. With gross pay, taxes would skew the split.
What counts as a shared cost?
Anything you both use: rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, internet, home insurance. Personal spending stays out.
When does a 50/50 split make sense?
When your pays are similar, or when you'd simply rather keep it simple. If the gap is big, 50/50 weighs much more on the lower earner.
What if one of us has no income?
The calculator puts all shared costs on whoever has an income. In real life, care work and housework count too: the number is a starting point for a conversation, not a verdict.
Further reading
Do it every month, without the maths
DuoWallet keeps track of your shared spending and shows at any moment who owes whom. Free on iPhone and Android.