Cost rental income limits, explained with real rents
The €66,000 and €59,000 limits, the 35% rule, and the income you'd need for rents listed in October 2026.
Two rules decide whether your household can get a cost rental home: an income limit, and a rule about how much of your income the rent can take. Together they set a range, not just a ceiling.
The two limits
Your household's net income has to be below €66,000 a year if you're applying for a home in Dublin, or €59,000 anywhere else. Net means after income tax, PRSI and USC. You'll be asked to show how you worked the figure out.
The 35% rule
The rent can't be more than 35% of your net income. To find the lowest income that works for a home, multiply the monthly rent by 12 and divide by 0.35.
So earn too much and you're over the limit. Earn too little and the rent is out of reach. You need to land between the two.
What that means for homes listed now
These rents come from listings open or announced in October 2026.
| Scheme | Home | Rent per month | Income needed per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookstown Gateway, Dublin 24 | Studio | €1,017 | €34,869 |
| Ard na Sailí, Carrigtwohill, Cork | 1 bed | €1,200 | €41,143 |
| Woodbrook, Shankill, Dublin 18 | 1 bed | €1,495 | €51,258 |
| Cookstown Gateway, Dublin 24 | 2 bed | €1,529 | €52,423 |
| Harman's Rest, Donabate, Dublin | 3 bed | €1,800 | €61,715 |
| Ard na Sailí, Carrigtwohill, Cork | 3 bed | €1,714 | €58,766 |
Bigger homes have a narrow window
Look at the last two rows. The 3 bed at Harman's Rest needs at least €61,715, and the Dublin limit is €66,000, so only households earning between the two qualify.
The 3 bed at Ard na Sailí is tighter still. It needs €58,766, and the limit outside Dublin is €59,000. That leaves a range of €234. Outside Dublin, any home with a rent above €1,720 a month is out of reach for everyone.
The other conditions
Income isn't the only test. You can't be getting social housing supports such as HAP or Rent Supplement, you can't own a property in Ireland or abroad, and your household size has to suit the home. See all the rules.
Source: LDA cost rental, October 2026. Rents are from the providers' listings on lda.ie and newstarterhomes.ie.
