HRA Calculator
How much of your House Rent Allowance is exempt and how much is taxable — with the three limits shown.
Your result appears here after you press Calculate.
Indicative calculation for informational purposes only. Tax liability depends on applicable law, taxpayer circumstances and the relevant financial year. Please verify the result before filing.
About this HRA calculator
House Rent Allowance is part of salary, and only a part of it is exempt from tax. The exempt part is the lowest of three amounts, so the answer depends on your salary, the rent you pay and the city you live in.
This calculator works out each of the three limits, marks the lowest and shows the exempt and the taxable HRA for the year and per month.
The city matters because the salary-based limit is higher in certain large cities, and that list is not the same in every year. The calculator covers FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 and uses the list for the year you choose.
The three-limit calculation
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Limit 1 — HRA actually received
The exemption can never be more than the HRA your employer paid you.
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Limit 2 — Rent paid less 10% of salary
Take the rent you paid and subtract 10% of salary. If the rent is not more than 10% of salary, this limit is nil and so is the exemption.
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Limit 3 — A percentage of salary
50% of salary if the rented home is in one of the listed cities, 40% anywhere else.
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The lowest is exempt
The smallest of the three amounts is exempt. The rest of the HRA received is taxable as salary.
Limits and cities the calculator uses
| Financial year | Cities with the higher limit | Those cities | Other places |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026-27 | Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune | 50% of salary | 40% of salary |
| FY 2025-26 | Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai | 50% of salary | 40% of salary |
In both years the rent limit is the rent paid less 10% of salary, and the exemption can never be more than the HRA actually received.
Figures last checked on 3 October 2026. Tax rules change — the year and rule set used are shown with every result.
What this calculator does not cover
- HRA exemption is available only under the old tax regime. Under the new regime the whole HRA is taxable.
- If salary, rent or city changed during the year, the exemption is worked out separately for each period. Run the calculator for each period with yearly amounts, or use monthly amounts for a typical month.
- The deduction for rent paid by people who do not receive HRA is a different provision and is not calculated here.
- Rent must actually be paid for a home you live in and do not own. Rent receipts, the rent agreement and the landlord's details may be asked for.
Claiming HRA in your return
If your employer did not give the full exemption, or you changed jobs or cities during the year, HRA can still be claimed in the return. We work it out period by period and file the return.
Income Tax Filing Tax Planning