We split household expenses — what's fair?

Whether you split 50/50 or proportionally by income, the key is having a system that feels right for both of you.

📖 4 min read · Decision guide

The situation

You share a household with a partner, spouse, or family member. You both contribute to bills — but how do you decide what's fair? Especially when incomes differ.

Three common approaches

50/50 split

Everything shared equally regardless of income. Simple but can feel unfair if one person earns significantly more.

Proportional to income

Each person contributes a percentage of their income. If you earn 60% of household income, you pay 60% of shared costs. Feels fairer when incomes differ.

Yours / mine / ours

Shared expenses go into a joint pot. Everything else is personal. Clear boundaries, less friction.

Try it with our budget planner

📊 Model your split

Our budget planner has a built-in shared/personal toggle. Set your split ratio and see exactly what each person pays.

Open Budget Planner

Things to discuss together

What counts as shared? Rent, utilities, groceries — usually yes. Personal subscriptions, hobbies — usually no.

What about savings goals? Some couples save together for a house deposit. Others keep savings separate.

Review regularly. If one person's income changes, revisit the split.

What to do next

📊
Budget Planner

Model your shared expenses with our split calculator.
💼
Plan Your Pension

Once your budget is clear, check your pension is on track.

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