How much can I realistically borrow?

In the financial reality of 2026, the question is “how much can I borrow?” moved to “how much can I borrow responsibly?” In recent years, the Dutch housing market and credit rules have been subject to strict inflation adjustments and tightened Nibud standards. Where consumers used to blindly trust banks' maximum calculations, the current economic situation in 2026 will force a deeper insight into net disposable income. After all, a loan is not just a number on paper, but a monthly obligation that affects your standard of living for decades.

Determining your realistic borrowing capacity requires an analysis that goes beyond just your gross annual salary. In this article, we analyse the factors that determine your actual financial space in 2026.

The shift from gross to net carrying capacity

In 2026, banks will use advanced tables to calculate your maximum mortgage or loan based on ji gross income. However, what the bank “allows” isn't always what your wallet “endures”. Realistic borrowing starts with your net monthly income minus your fixed costs.

In 2026, living costs, such as energy, health insurance and groceries, stabilized at higher levels than at the beginning of the decade. A realistic calculation takes into account a “buffer for unforeseen expenses”. If the bank calculates that you can bear €2,000 per month in housing costs, but you only have €400 left over for leisure and savings, then that loan is legally allowed, but not realistic for a comfortable life. In 2026, experts recommend spending no more than 30% to 35% of your net income on total housing costs.

The influence of debts and hidden liabilities

Your borrowing capacity will be directly affected by your past behavior and current subscriptions in 2026. Since the integration of various loan forms into the BKR overview, each monthly obligation weighs more heavily in the final calculation.

The biggest “capacity guzzlers” in 2026 are:

• Student debts: The weighting factor for student debts at DUO in 2026 is based on the actual monthly payment. A monthly repayment of €150 can reduce your maximum mortgage by tens of thousands of euros.
• Private Lease: A lease car is seen as a heavy financial burden. Because this contract is often 100% registered, an average lease car can limit loan space by as much as €40,000 to €60,000.
• Credit cards and overdraft: Even an unused credit limit in your checking account is seen by banks as a potential debt and therefore immediately reduces what you can realistically borrow.

The impact of the current market interest rate in 2026

Interest rates in 2026 are more stable than the turbulent years before, but they are significantly higher than the historic lows of around 2020. The interest rate has a leverage effect on your borrowing capacity.

When interest rates rise, a larger part of your monthly amount goes to the bank (interest) and a smaller part to pay off your own debt. At an interest rate of 4.5%, you can borrow considerably less than with an interest rate of 1.5%, simply because the monthly interest burden reaches the limit of your permitted home rate more quickly at the higher percentage. In 2026, it is therefore essential to look not only at the final amount, but also at the fixed-rate period when comparing loans; a shorter fixed-interest period sometimes offers a lower interest rate and thus a higher loan, but also involves the risk of future tax increases.

Energy labels and the “Green bonus”

In 2026, the sustainability of a home will partly determine how much you can borrow. The government and banks have linked the borrowing standards to the collateral's energy label. This is a crucial factor for those who want to calculate realistically.

For a home with an A++++ energy label (with an energy performance guarantee), you can borrow up to an additional €50,000 in 2026 on top of your regular maximum mortgage. The logic behind this is simple: your energy bill is almost nil, so you have more space to repay the loan every month. However, if you buy a home with label G or H, your borrowing capacity is lower, unless you demonstrably use this money for sustainability. Realistic borrowing in 2026 therefore also means looking at the monthly energy costs of the building you have in mind.

Income growth and job security

A realistic loan also takes into account your career path. In 2026, lenders will look at the stability of your income. Are you a starter with strong growth potential in IT or healthcare, or are you a senior whose income is likely to remain stable in the coming years?

Self-employed people (freelancers) will have more access to loans in 2026 thanks to the Entrepreneur Income Statement, which looks at the average profit over the past three years. However, for an entrepreneur, “realistic” borrowing also depends on the sector. In a cyclically-sensitive sector, it is wise not to sit at the maximum limit, while an official can often take more risks with a guaranteed periodic increase. A loan should not only fit today, but also in five years if your personal situation (e.g. family expansion or working less) may change.

The “Own money” factor

The days when you were able to borrow the full purchase price plus the copper costs are far behind us. In 2026, you can borrow a maximum of 100% of the market value of the home. This means that you have to bring the “buyer costs” (transfer tax, notary, valuation, advice) yourself.

For an average home in the Netherlands, this means that you quickly need between €15,000 and €25,000 in savings before you can even start borrowing. Your borrowing capacity is therefore actually limited by your available cash. Realistic borrowing is impossible in 2026 without healthy savings discipline. In addition, bringing in extra own money reduces the loan compared to the home value, which in turn can lead to a lower interest rate and therefore lower monthly payments.

The answer to the question how much you can realistically borrow is therefore the sum of your net surplus, your debt-free status, the sustainability of the home and your personal financial vision for the future.