Income
Income is the basis of the affordability norm. The higher and more stable the income, the more room there usually is for mortgage costs.
What determines your maximum mortgage?
Your maximum mortgage does not depend on income alone. Property value, interest rate, debts and sometimes the energy label also matter.
The main factors
Property value
In the Netherlands you cannot simply borrow above the value of the home. Purchase price and appraisal value therefore remain important.
Interest rate
The rate determines the monthly cost that belongs to a loan. That means interest directly affects how much mortgage fits within the rules.
Debts and obligations
Student debt, private lease, and other credit reduce your spending room and often lower your maximum mortgage.
NHG and energy saving
NHG can influence rate and conditions. On top of that, extra borrowing room can exist in some situations for energy-saving measures.
Want to see what this means in your own situation right away?
Use the mortgage calculator to apply income, rate, and property value to your own case straight away.
Read next
Rules and sources
This page links to the official sources behind the Dutch mortgage rules and the assumptions used on this site.
Dutch government: what determines the maximum mortgage?
Official explanation that the maximum mortgage mainly depends on income, property value, and other financial obligations.
Open sourceDutch government: extra mortgage room for energy-saving measures
Use this source for the official explanation that extra borrowing room can apply for energy-saving measures in some cases.
Open sourceNHG: 2026 rules and limits
NHG publishes the 2026 rules, cost limit, and conditions for mortgages with National Mortgage Guarantee.
Open sourceBelastingdienst: annuity or linear repayment
Belastingdienst explains annuity and linear repayment and why this matters for mortgage-interest deduction on loans from 2013 onward.
Open sourceNibud: basis for Dutch mortgage norms
Nibud describes how it advises the government on responsible mortgage lending and yearly mortgage norms.
Open source