How much mortgage can I get on my salary?
The maximum mortgage amount you can borrow depends mainly on your monthly net income. Moldovan banks apply strict rules to ensure you can repay the loan without financial difficulty.
The 40% DTI rule
The main rule applied by Moldovan banks is that your monthly mortgage payment cannot exceed 40% of your net monthly income (take-home pay). If your income is 30,000 MDL/month, the bank will cap the monthly payment at 12,000 MDL. From this maximum payment, combined with the interest rate and term, the bank calculates the maximum loan amount it can offer you.
The conservative estimate
In addition to the DTI rule, banks also apply a conservative estimate based on 3× annual net income. This is the minimum reasonable amount to protect you from over-borrowing. The actual approved amount typically falls between the conservative estimate and the maximum DTI limit.
What else affects the approved amount?
Applying jointly with a partner combines incomes, significantly increasing the eligible amount.
A larger deposit reduces the loan amount needed and improves approval conditions.
A good credit score demonstrates creditworthiness and can positively influence the bank's decision.
Stable incomes (salary, pension) are assessed more favourably than variable incomes (freelancing, rental income).
If you have other active loans, banks include these in the calculation and reduce the available amount.
Calculation example
Monthly net income: 30,000 MDL. Maximum payment (40% DTI): 12,000 MDL. Interest rate: 9%. Term: 25 years. → Maximum loan at 40% DTI: ~1,430,000 MDL. Conservative estimate (3× annual income): 30,000 × 12 × 3 = 1,080,000 MDL. Estimated borrowing range: 1,080,000 – 1,430,000 MDL.
Tip
Do not necessarily borrow the maximum approved amount. Calculate your budget assuming a 1-2 percentage point interest rate increase and make sure you can comfortably manage the monthly payment.