How the HDB affordability calculator works
Two rules cap how much you can borrow for an HDB flat:
- MSR?Mortgage Servicing Ratio — your monthly home loan repayment cannot exceed 30% of gross monthly income (Mortgage Servicing Ratio): your monthly home loan repayment can’t exceed 30% of gross monthly income.
- TDSR?Total Debt Servicing Ratio — all your monthly debt repayments combined cannot exceed 55% of gross monthly income (Total Debt Servicing Ratio): all your monthly debt repayments combined can’t exceed 55% of gross monthly income.
Your maximum monthly instalment is the lower of these two limits. We then work backwards from that instalment — using the HDB loan rate of 2.6% (or a 4% stress-test for bank loans, unconfirmed against a primary source) and your maximum loan tenure under the age-65 rule — to find your maximum loan and the flat price you can target.
2026 HDB & CPF rules at a glance
The rules below are the ones that decide how much you can borrow; each applies differently to an HDB concessionary loan and to a bank loan.
| Rule | HDB loan | Bank loan |
|---|---|---|
| Interest rate (2026) | 2.6%, reviewed quarterly and not legally guaranteed | ~2.5–4.0% (stress test at 4%, unconfirmed against a primary source) |
| Max LTV | 75% | 75%, or 55% at the lower tier |
| Max tenure | 25 years | 30 years |
| Age-65 cap | ✓ | ✓ |
| MSR cap (30%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| TDSR cap (55%) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Min cash downpayment | $0 (all CPF) | 5% of price (cash); 10% at the 55% tier |
| Eligibility | SC households | SC, PR, foreigners |
Rates and limits: HDB, CPF Board and MAS. Each marked figure and its verification date is listed in the sources block at the foot of this page. Maximum tenure and the age-65 cap are stated without a marked source because we could not verify them against a primary source — see our editorial policy.
Frequently asked questions
Is the HDB loan or a bank loan cheaper?
The HDB loan is currently 2.6%, reviewed quarterly and not legally guaranteed — it has held at 2.6% since 1999, but HDB can change it. Bank loans can be lower (often ~2.5–3.5%) but float and can rise — MAS requires lenders to stress-test you at a 4% floor (this floor is not yet confirmed against a primary MAS source). Use the comparison table in your results to see both side by side.
Can PRs and foreigners use this calculator?
Foreigners cannot buy HDB flats. PRs can buy resale HDB flats (after 3 years of PR, with an eligible SPR household) using a bank loan. They are generally not eligible for the HDB concessionary loan, and are not eligible for the EHG, which HDB and CPF Board limit to Singapore Citizen households.
Does this include CPF grants?
Yes — we show an EHG estimate based on your income and household type. For your full grant picture (EHG, CPF Housing Grant, Proximity Grant, Step-Up), use the CPF Grant Checker →
Your CPF OA balance also determines how much of your downpayment you can cover without cash. See how much downpayment an HDB flat needs in 2026, and how much of it must be cash. To see how your OA contributions build up by income and age, use the CPF Calculator.
Why does my self-employed income reduce my loan?
HDB and banks assess variable income (self-employed, commissions, bonuses) more conservatively, applying a 30% haircut and averaging over 1–2 years. Your approved loan may be lower than a salaried buyer with the same headline income.
How does the age-65 rule affect my loan?
Your loan tenure cannot extend beyond age 65. So if the youngest buyer is 40, the maximum tenure is 25 years for an HDB loan (capped at 25) and 25 years for a bank loan (capped at 30). The shorter the tenure, the higher your monthly instalment — and the lower your maximum loan. HDB's own 25-year cap and the age-65 rule are not yet confirmed against a primary HDB source; see our editorial policy.
Sources for the figures on this page
Every figure above is taken from the source named here on the date shown. Figures marked as estimates are reconstructed, not published by the authority.
- Bank loan Loan-to-Value limit, no outstanding housing loan; Age past which the lower LTV limit applies; Bank loan Loan-to-Value limit, lower tier; Bank loan maximum tenure, HDB flat; Bank loan minimum cash downpayment at the 75% LTV limit; Bank loan minimum cash downpayment at the 55% LTV limit — MAS — Rules for New Housing Loans: Loan Tenure and Loan-To-Value Limits verified 2026-08-20
- EHG income ceiling, families; EHG income ceiling, singles — CPF Board — A guide to the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant and Proximity Housing Grant verified 2026-06-27
- HDB concessionary loan Loan-to-Value limit — MND & HDB — Measures to Cool the HDB Resale Market and Provide More Support for First-Time Home Buyers (19 August 2024) verified 2026-08-20
- HDB concessionary housing loan interest rate — CPF interest rates from 1 July to 30 September 2026 verified 2026-08-20
- Mortgage Servicing Ratio cap; Total Debt Servicing Ratio cap — MAS — Rules for New Housing Loans: MSR and TDSR Rules verified 2026-08-20