Mortgage Affordability Calculator Ireland
How much can you borrow — and how much should you?
Most mortgage calculators tell you the maximum a bank will lend. This one also calculates your comfort number — the amount you can borrow while still covering childcare, debt, savings, and day-to-day living costs. Built with 2025 Irish tax rates (income tax, PRSI, USC) and the latest Central Bank rules: FTB 4x, FTB exception 4.75x, and second-time buyer 3.5x.
Share of take-home reserved for food, transport, utilities, insurance, and entertainment. Default 40% based on CSO Household Budget Survey data.
• First-time buyers can borrow up to 4x gross income (up from 3.5x since Jan 2025)
• Lenders can grant exceptions up to 4.75x for a portion of FTB lending
• Second-time buyers remain at 3.5x
• FTBs need a minimum 10% deposit, STBs need 20%
• The comfort number factors in your real take-home pay and living costs — something the bank limit doesn't
Enter your income to see results
How This Mortgage Calculator Works
Bank maximum: Under Central Bank rules (updated January 2025), first-time buyers in Ireland can borrow up to 4x their gross annual income. Lenders can grant exceptions up to 4.75x for a portion of FTB lending. Second-time buyers remain at 3.5x.
Comfort number: We calculate your real take-home pay using 2025 Irish income tax bands (20%/40%), PRSI (4%), and USC (4-band calculation). Then we subtract your monthly commitments (childcare, debt repayments, savings) and a living cost reserve (adjustable, default 40% of net pay based on CSO Household Budget Survey data). What's left is what you can comfortably put towards a mortgage — your comfort number.
Stress test: We also show what your repayments would be if interest rates rise by 2 percentage points — because rates go up as well as down.
For a deeper analysis of why you might not want to borrow the maximum, read our article: The 4x Trap: Why Borrowing Your Maximum Mortgage Could Ruin Your 30s.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much can a first-time buyer borrow in Ireland in 2025?▾
First-time buyers can borrow up to 4x their gross annual income under Central Bank rules updated in January 2025. Banks can also grant exceptions up to 4.75x for a portion of their FTB lending. For example, a single FTB earning €60,000 can borrow up to €240,000 (4x) or up to €285,000 with an exception (4.75x).
What is the comfort number in a mortgage calculator?▾
The comfort number is the mortgage amount you can comfortably afford based on your real take-home pay after tax, childcare, debt repayments, savings, and living costs. Unlike the bank maximum (which only looks at gross income), the comfort number ensures you're not house-poor after buying.
How much deposit do I need for a house in Ireland?▾
First-time buyers need a minimum 10% deposit. Second-time buyers need at least 20%. The more deposit you save, the less you need to borrow and the better mortgage rates you may qualify for.
What is the difference between 4x and 3.5x mortgage rules in Ireland?▾
Since January 2025, first-time buyers can borrow up to 4x their gross income (increased from 3.5x). Second-time buyers remain at 3.5x. Lenders can also grant FTB exceptions up to 4.75x for a portion of their lending.
Should I borrow the maximum mortgage amount?▾
Not necessarily. The bank maximum doesn't account for childcare, car loans, savings goals, or your day-to-day living costs. Our comfort number calculation factors in these real expenses so you can see what you can actually afford without being house-poor.
Buy me a coffee