Cushy Index guide
Rent Pain Score Explained
Rent pain measures how much of your net income is absorbed by housing costs.
Direct answer
Rent pain is the percentage of net monthly income spent on rent. Under 25% is healthy, 25–35% is watch zone and above 35% starts to bite.
Why rent pain matters
Housing is usually the largest recurring expense and the biggest driver of lifestyle pressure.
Thresholds
Cushy Index treats under 25% as healthy, 25–35% as watch zone, 35–45% as biting and 45%+ as crushed.
How to reduce it
Increase net income, reduce rent, share housing costs or move to a city with better salary-to-rent balance.