Rent Affordability for Chefs and Head Cooks in the US
As of May 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024. Rent: ZORI monthly.
National avg salary
$64,150/yr
Gross monthly
$5,346
Affordable rent (30% rule)
$1,604/mo
Chef pay varies sharply by restaurant type, with executive chefs at high-end establishments earning materially above the BLS mean. At the national-average chef salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,604 a month in rent.
Where rent is most affordable: states with the highest chef pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $80,188/yr | $2,005/mo | View cities › |
| California | $75,697/yr | $1,892/mo | View cities › |
| Massachusetts | $74,414/yr | $1,860/mo | View cities › |
| New York | $73,131/yr | $1,828/mo | View cities › |
| Alaska | $71,848/yr | $1,796/mo | View cities › |
| New Jersey | $71,848/yr | $1,796/mo | View cities › |
| Washington | $71,848/yr | $1,796/mo | View cities › |
| Connecticut | $70,565/yr | $1,764/mo | View cities › |
| Hawaii | $69,282/yr | $1,732/mo | View cities › |
| Maryland | $69,282/yr | $1,732/mo | View cities › |
Where rent stretches the salary furthest: states with the lowest chef pay
| State | Avg salary | Affordable rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | $51,962/yr | $1,299/mo | View cities › |
| Arkansas | $53,245/yr | $1,331/mo | View cities › |
| West Virginia | $54,528/yr | $1,363/mo | View cities › |
| Alabama | $55,169/yr | $1,379/mo | View cities › |
| Louisiana | $55,811/yr | $1,395/mo | View cities › |
| South Dakota | $56,452/yr | $1,411/mo | View cities › |
| South Carolina | $56,452/yr | $1,411/mo | View cities › |
| Oklahoma | $56,452/yr | $1,411/mo | View cities › |
| Montana | $56,452/yr | $1,411/mo | View cities › |
| Kentucky | $56,452/yr | $1,411/mo | View cities › |
All states
District of ColumbiaCaliforniaMassachusettsNew YorkAlaskaNew JerseyWashingtonConnecticutHawaiiMarylandColoradoMinnesotaOregonRhode IslandNew HampshireDelawareIllinoisVirginiaPennsylvaniaTexasArizonaNevadaNorth DakotaVermontMichiganUtahGeorgiaWisconsinNorth CarolinaOhioWyomingFloridaMaineNebraskaIndianaIowaMissouriTennesseeKansasNew MexicoIdahoKentuckyMontanaOklahomaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaLouisianaAlabamaWest VirginiaArkansasMississippi
Frequently asked questions
Can a chef afford rent in major culinary cities?
In mid-cost metros, generally yes. In top-tier dining cities (NYC, SF, LA), executive-chef pay can clear the 30% threshold but line-chef and sous-chef pay typically cannot without roommates.
What rent can a chef afford?
At the BLS national mean of $64,150, the 30% rule supports about $1,604 a month in rent.