How to Split Bills When One Person Makes More

The problem with splitting everything 50/50

On paper, a 50/50 split is the definition of fair. Each person pays exactly half. Nobody gets a free ride. But fairness is not just about the dollar amount. It is about what that dollar amount means to each person.

Consider two roommates: Alex earns $80,000 a year and Jordan earns $40,000. Their shared monthly costs (rent, utilities, groceries, internet) total $2,000. A 50/50 split means each person pays $1,000 per month. For Alex, that $1,000 represents about 15% of gross monthly income. For Jordan, it represents about 30%. Same dollar amount, very different impact.

Jordan has to budget much more carefully, skip social outings more often, and save less for emergencies. Over time, this imbalance can create resentment, even if neither person intended it. The 50/50 split treats two very different financial situations as though they are identical.

Three ways to split bills on unequal incomes

1. The 50/50 split

Despite its limitations, the even split works well in certain situations. If both people earn similar incomes, or if one person values the simplicity of equal contributions above all else, a 50/50 arrangement keeps things straightforward. There is no math, no negotiation, and no ambiguity.

It also works when both incomes comfortably cover the shared expenses. If $1,000 a month is easy for both people, the income gap may not matter in practice. The issue arises when the lower earner starts feeling stretched thin while the higher earner barely notices the expense.

2. The proportional income split

This method ties each person's contribution to their share of the total household income. The formula is simple:

Each person pays = (their income ÷ total combined income) × total bill

Using our example: Alex and Jordan have a combined income of $120,000. Alex earns $80,000, which is 66.7% of the total. Jordan earns $40,000, which is 33.3%.

• Alex pays: 66.7% × $2,000 = $1,334 per month
• Jordan pays: 33.3% × $2,000 = $666 per month

Now both people are spending the same percentage of their income on shared costs. The proportional method is popular among couples with significant income gaps because it equalizes the financial pressure rather than the dollar figure.

3. The hybrid approach

Many couples and roommates land on a blend of the two methods above. The idea: split fixed costs (rent, insurance) proportionally, and split variable costs (groceries, dining out, household supplies) evenly.

The logic is that fixed costs are non negotiable and tend to be the largest expenses, so proportional splitting has the biggest impact there. Variable costs are smaller, shared equally by choice, and easier to control individually.

In practice, this often feels like the most intuitive compromise. The higher earner contributes more toward the big bills while everyday spending stays equal.

How to have the money conversation

Talking about money is uncomfortable. Most people would rather avoid it entirely, which is exactly why resentment builds. Here are a few tips for bringing it up productively:

• Pick a calm moment. Do not bring up money during an argument or when bills are overdue. Choose a relaxed evening when you are both in a good headspace.
• Frame it as a team decision. Use "we" language. "How do we want to handle shared expenses?" works better than "I think you should pay more."
• Share your numbers. Transparency builds trust. If both people know each other's income, the proportional calculation is straightforward and feels less like a negotiation.
• Agree on a trial period. Try the new split for three months, then revisit. Knowing it is not permanent makes it easier to commit.
• Write it down. Even a simple note in your phone helps. When the split is documented, there is less room for confusion later.

What about couples with shared accounts?

Some couples open a joint account for shared expenses. Each person transfers their agreed contribution every month, and all rent, utilities, and groceries come out of that account. This approach makes tracking effortless because every shared cost flows through one place.

Other couples prefer to keep finances completely separate. One person pays rent, the other covers utilities and groceries, and they settle up periodically. Both approaches work. The key is that both people understand the system and agree that it is fair.

A third option is to use a shared account for fixed costs and keep variable spending separate. This gives both people autonomy over their personal spending while ensuring the big bills are always covered.

Tracking the split over time

Whatever method you choose, you need a system to track it. Mental math and memory are not reliable, especially over months or years. Small discrepancies compound. Someone forgets they were supposed to cover groceries last week. A utility bill gets paid twice by the same person. Without a record, these mistakes are impossible to untangle.

Apps like Nudj make proportional splitting easy by letting you set custom percentages for each expense. Log a bill, choose the split ratio, and the app calculates each person's share automatically. Over time, the running balance shows exactly where things stand, so nobody has to wonder if they are paying more than their fair share.

The goal is to remove money from the emotional space of the relationship. When the math is handled, you can focus on the things that actually matter.