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“Mera salary 1 lakh hai, mujhe kitna loan mil sakta hai?” It is the first question almost everyone has, and it is surprisingly hard to get a straight answer to. Bank websites list their rates and documents, but rarely tell you plainly how much they would actually lend you.
The good news is that the answer follows a simple rule, and once you understand it you can work out your own limit in a minute.
The one rule banks use: debt burden ratio
Every bank in Pakistan looks at your debt burden ratio, usually called DBR. It is the share of your monthly income that goes towards loan installments.
The State Bank of Pakistan sets the upper limits. For home loans, your installments can take up to 50 percent of your income. For car loans and personal loans, plan on 40 percent. Banks are allowed to be stricter than this, and some are, but they cannot go above it.
So if you earn Rs 100,000 a month and have no other loans, a bank could let up to Rs 40,000 a month go to a car or personal loan, or up to Rs 50,000 to a home loan. Everything else in this article comes from turning that monthly figure into a loan amount.
How much you can borrow on your salary
We assumed you have no other loans or credit cards, a car loan over five years at 14.65 percent, a home loan over 20 years at 15.15 percent, and a personal loan over three years at 23 percent. These are close to current rates from our September 2026 rate sheet.
| Monthly salary | Car loan installment (40%) | Maximum car loan | Home loan installment (50%) | Maximum home loan | Maximum personal loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rs 50,000 | Rs 20,000 | Rs 8.47 lakh | Rs 25,000 | Rs 18.83 lakh | Rs 5.17 lakh |
| Rs 75,000 | Rs 30,000 | Rs 12.71 lakh | Rs 37,500 | Rs 28.24 lakh | Rs 7.75 lakh |
| Rs 100,000 | Rs 40,000 | Rs 16.94 lakh | Rs 50,000 | Rs 37.65 lakh | Rs 10.33 lakh |
| Rs 150,000 | Rs 60,000 | Rs 25.42 lakh | Rs 75,000 | Rs 56.48 lakh | Rs 15.50 lakh |
| Rs 250,000 | Rs 100,000 | Rs 30 lakh (SBP cap) | Rs 125,000 | Rs 94.13 lakh | Rs 25.83 lakh |
| Rs 400,000 | Rs 160,000 | Rs 30 lakh (SBP cap) | Rs 200,000 | Rs 1.51 crore | Rs 41.33 lakh |
A few things are worth pointing out.
Car loans stop growing at Rs 30 lakh no matter how much you earn. That is a State Bank rule: one person cannot have more than Rs 30 lakh in car finance across all banks combined.
The personal loan figures in the last rows are the theoretical maximum from DBR alone. In practice, every bank also has its own upper limit for personal loans, so the real offer at higher salaries is often lower than the table shows.
Home loans also depend on the property. Banks usually finance up to about 75 to 80 percent of the property’s value, so even if your salary supports a Rs 94 lakh loan, you still need the remaining share as a down payment.
Your existing loans come off the top
The table assumes you owe nothing else. If you already pay an installment, the bank subtracts it first.
Take someone earning Rs 100,000 a month who already pays Rs 15,000 a month for a car. Their home loan limit is 50 percent of salary, which is Rs 50,000, minus the Rs 15,000 they already pay. That leaves Rs 35,000 a month for the new loan, which supports a home loan of about Rs 26.36 lakh instead of Rs 37.65 lakh.
Credit cards matter too, even if you never use them. Many banks count part of your card limit as if it were a monthly payment. If you have a card you do not need, closing it before you apply can raise your limit.
Minimum salary requirements
Separate from DBR, banks set a minimum income to apply at all. For example, HBL lists Rs 50,000 a month for salaried car loan applicants and Rs 75,000 for business owners, while Bank of Punjab lists Rs 40,000. These change from time to time, so check the bank’s current requirement before you apply.
Salaried or self employed: why it matters
If you are salaried, the bank uses the net salary shown on your slip and in your bank statement. It is straightforward.
If you run a business, the bank has to estimate your income from your bank statements and tax returns. Many business owners earn well but show much less on paper, and the bank can only lend on what it can see. Filing proper tax returns and running your business income through a bank account are the two most useful things you can do months before you apply.
A quick way to work out your own limit
Take your monthly take home pay. Multiply it by 0.4 for a car or personal loan, or by 0.5 for a home loan. Subtract any installments you already pay. The number left over is the most a bank would let you pay each month.
Then put that monthly figure into one of our calculators and adjust the loan amount until the installment matches. The Home Loan Calculator, Car Loan Calculator and Personal Loan Calculator all show your DBR automatically and warn you if it goes over the limit.
Borrowing the maximum is rarely a good idea
Just because a bank will approve 40 or 50 percent of your income does not mean your household budget can carry it. Rent, school fees, groceries and family responsibilities do not go away. Most people sleep better with their loan installments closer to 30 percent of income, which leaves room for the surprises that always come.
If you are deciding between loan types, our guide to loan documents in Pakistan will help you get ready once you know your number.
Limits and rates were checked in September 2026 and are indicative. Each bank applies its own policies within State Bank rules, so the bank’s written offer is always the final word.
Frequently asked questions
Loan minimum salary
Banks usually finance up to about 75 to 80 percent of the property’s value, so even if your salary supports a Rs 94 lakh loan, you still need the remaining share as a down payment.
Work out your personal loan
- Personal Loan for a Wedding in Pakistan: What It Really Costs
- Personal Loan in Pakistan 2026: Rates, Eligibility and the True Cost of Borrowing
- Bank Alfalah Personal Loan Calculator
- HBL Personal Loan Calculator