If you’re a travel nurse or getting into travel nursing, you’ve probably wondered at some point or another how much of your stipend should go to rent? The truth is, there isn’t any right or wrong answer – just what makes you feel the most comfortable! I’ve been on assignments where I’ve spent half of my monthly pay on rent and on assignments where I’ve spent less than one week of my paycheck on rent. It all just depends where you’re living and what kind of experience you want to have.
Here are a few things to consider to guide you in deciding how much money to spend on rent.
Don’t miss…
How Much Money Should Travel Nurses Be Spending on Rent?
LOOKING FOR HOUSING? BOOK YOUR NEXT STAY ON VRBO or EXTENDED STAY AMERICA!
What is a Housing Stipend?
For starters, it’s important to know what a housing stipend is before moving on. Travel nurses get paid in three different categories – housing stipend, meal stipend, and hourly pay. The housing stipend and meal stipend are not taxed, while the hourly pay is taxed. (For more information on travel nurse pay, read this post).
A good resource to use to see if your housing stipend is maxed out is gsa.gov.
If you need more guidance on becoming a travel nurse, make sure to check out The Ultimate Travel Nurse Bundle where you’ll get 60+ pages of travel nurse information including – how to make sense of your contract, how to negotiate pay, & more – delivered straight to your inbox!
Should You Take Company Housing or Find Your Own?
Generally speaking, if you decide to take company housing, you’ll be losing out on more money than if you find your own housing. In my opinion, the only reason to take company housing is if you have signed a contract at the last minute and can’t find anything, or if you just don’t want to look for anything yourself.
If you plan to find your own housing, don’t miss…
- Housing for Travel Nurses: Hello Landing
- Housing for Travel Nurses: Extended Stay Across America
- Housing for Travel Nurses: VRBO
- The Best Travel Nursing Housing Sites
So How Much Should Travel Nurses be Spending on Rent?
I’ve seen travel nurses calculate their living expenses one of two ways. The first way to decide how much to spend is to take 1/4 of your MONTHLY Pay (not your housing stipend) and spend one week worth of pay on rent. So if you’re taking home $1,500/week ($6,000/month), your rent should cost $1,500 for a month.
Another way to look at this is by taking your weekly housing stipend, multiply it by four, and spend a months worth of your housing stipend on your rent. Again, there isn’t a wrong way to decide – just what feels right and comfortable of you.
For more tips on money managing and budgeting, don’t miss…
Travel Nurse Essentials
FOR HOUSING
- VRBO
- Extended Stay America
- Hello Landing – Use code “PassportsandPreemies” for $250 off your first standard Landing stay
FOR RECRUITERS
- Fill out this form to connect with my #1 recruiter at Fusion
- Fill out this form to be matched with a senior level recruiter at Host Healthcare
FOR TRAVELING TO/DURING YOUR ASSIGNMENT
- To book a flight, I recommend this booking platform or Skyscanner to compare options (make sure to sign up for Going to receive free, cheap flight alerts)
- If you need to rent a car, I recommend Discover Cars
FOR WORK
TO EXPLORE YOUR NEW “HOME”
- For tours I recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, Take Walks, & Devour Tours (available in select cities)
If you have any questions about your travel nurse housing stipend, let me know in the comments below!
For more information and inspiration on all things nursing and travel nursing, make sure to check out my Instagram page/highlight reel by searching “#ppinscrubs” or under my highlights for “Nursing” or “Travel Nursing”; alternatively, head to my TikTok and search for the saved “Nursing” or “Travel Nursing” highlight
Pin Me!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no cost to you. Passports and Preemies is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees.
Founded by Kylee, a NICU nurse with nine years of experience, including seven years as a travel nurse; Passports and Preemies was created in 2017 and is now the go-to travel and lifestyle channel for nurses who crave adventure beyond the bedside. Whether you’re a staff nurse looking for your next getaway or a travel nurse navigating life on the road, this space is designed to help you maximize your time off, explore the world, and prevent nurse burnout.
On Passports and Preemies, you’ll find everything from travel nursing insights – how to get started, land the best assignments, and thrive on the road – to expert travel tips, destination guides, and real-talk about balancing nursing with a life well-traveled. Passports and Preemies also includes Beyond the Bedside – group trips for nurses around the world; as well as the podcast, Passports and Preemies Talks.
