BAH Budget Calculator — Military Relocation to St. Louis
Military Relocation Resource · St. Louis, MO

Know your budget
before you search.

BAH is your housing allowance — but it's not the same as your rent budget. This tool explains how BAH works and calculates what you can actually afford after accounting for the costs BAH doesn't cover.

Section 1 — What is BAH?

Basic Allowance for Housing, explained

BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) is a tax-free monthly stipend the military pays you to cover housing costs near your duty station. It's one of the most powerful financial tools available to a service member — but most families don't fully understand how it's calculated or what it actually covers. Here's what you need to know.

95%
Coverage target
BAH is intentionally set to cover approximately 95% of local housing costs — not 100%. The remaining 5% is your responsibility by design.
0%
Federal tax
BAH is completely tax-free at the federal level regardless of which state you live in — and counts as qualifying income for VA loan applications.
3
Variables set your rate
Pay grade, dependency status (with or without dependents), and duty station ZIP code. Your rate is tied to your installation, not where you choose to live.
The three variables
Pay grade
The higher the rank, the higher the BAH rate. The DoD assumes more senior members occupy larger, more expensive housing — so the allowance scales accordingly.
Dependency status
Only two categories: with dependents and without. One dependent or four receives the same rate. The with-dependent rate is meaningfully higher and reflects the assumed need for larger housing.
Duty station
BAH is tied to your installation's Military Housing Area (MHA) — not where you choose to live. If you're assigned to Scott AFB but live in West County Missouri, you still receive the Scott AFB MHA rate.
Rate protection
If BAH rates decrease in a given year, your rate is protected and stays the same — as long as your pay grade and dependency status remain unchanged.
2026 STL increase
Scott AFB saw a 5.9% BAH increase in 2026 — one of the higher jumps nationally. The 2026 rate for E-5 with dependents in the St. Louis MHA runs approximately $2,436/month. Always verify at travel.dod.mil.
What BAH does NOT cover

This is where most military families get caught off guard. BAH is calculated against rent only. These costs are your responsibility on top of BAH — and they add up quickly before you're ever settled.

Renter's insurance (removed from BAH calculation in recent years)
Security deposit — typically one month's rent, paid upfront
Application fees — $30–$75 per adult applicant
Pet deposits and monthly pet fees where applicable
Parking fees, HOA fees, or storage fees
Utilities beyond what's included in your lease
Section 2 — Budget Calculator

What can you actually afford?

Enter your BAH rate and your expected monthly costs below. The calculator subtracts everything automatically and tells you your true rental budget — the number you should actually be searching against, not your raw BAH figure.

$ / month — verify at travel.dod.mil
Monthly deductions
$ / month
$ / month
$ / month
Move-in costs
$ one-time
$ one-time
Monthly BAH$2,700
Renter's insurance− $20
Utilities− $0
Parking / HOA / pet fee− $0
True monthly rent budget$2,680
Monthly costs as % of BAH 1%
$0$2,700
Your true monthly rent budget is $2,680. You have solid BAH coverage — search for properties at or below this number, not your raw BAH figure.
Estimated move-in cash needed
First month's rent (at budget)$2,680
Security deposit$0
Application fees$0
Est. move-in total$2,680

This amount is out-of-pocket cash — not covered by BAH. Have this liquid before you arrive in St. Louis.

Military Relocation Specialist · St. Louis, MO

Ready to find your next home?

Liz Bruch · Licensed Broker
314-245-3414 | buywithbruch@gmail.com | www.buywithbruch.com