HRA Exemption Calculator

Calculate exempt and taxable HRA for metro and non-metro cities using the standard least-of-three rule followed for salaried tax planning in India.

HRA exemption formula

HRA exemption is the least of actual HRA received, rent paid minus 10% of salary, or 50% of salary for metro cities and 40% for non-metro cities.

Exempt HRA = Least of Actual HRA, Rent − 10% Salary, or 50%/40% of Salary

This simplified version uses annual basic salary as the salary base, which is enough for most first-pass tax comparisons.

FAQ

Does metro city make a difference?

Yes. Metro cities use 50% of salary as the city-based cap, while non-metro cities use 40%.

Why can part of HRA still be taxable?

Because only the least eligible amount becomes exempt. The balance HRA is treated as taxable salary.