Thinking about leasing a unit to run as a short-term rental? Enter your numbers below and instantly see whether the deal actually cash-flows — before you sign the lease.
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Book your free diagnostic call →Airbnb arbitrage means leasing a property long-term and re-renting it nightly on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, keeping the spread between your rent and your booking income. It's the fastest way into short-term rentals because you don't buy the property — but the margins are thinner than people assume, which is exactly why you run the numbers first.
This calculator turns your inputs into the four numbers that actually decide a deal. Monthly net cash flow is what lands in your pocket after rent, fees, cleaning, and operating costs. Cash-on-cash return shows how hard your upfront furnishing money is working. Breakeven occupancy is the single most important guardrail — the percentage of nights you must book just to avoid losing money. If your market realistically books above that line with room to spare, you have a deal. If it doesn't, you've just saved yourself an expensive lease.
A healthy arbitrage unit usually breaks even well below 60% occupancy and throws off positive cash flow with margin to absorb a slow month. When the breakeven creeps toward 70%+, the deal is fragile — one seasonal dip and you're paying to keep the lights on.
It depends on your rent versus your nightly rate. This tool computes your exact breakeven occupancy. Most healthy deals break even comfortably below 60%.
Typically $3,000–$10,000 per unit for furnishing, deposits, and setup — the "one-time setup" field above. Your cash-on-cash return is measured against that number.
In the right market with landlord permission and disciplined pricing, yes. The losers are the operators who skip the math. That's what this calculator is for.