Use this free vacation rental investment calculator to pressure-test an Airbnb purchase. Thinking about buying a property to run as a short-term rental? Enter the deal below and instantly see whether it cash-flows — with cap rate, cash-on-cash, and the occupancy you need to break even.
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Get a free 30-minute STR diagnostic. We'll stress-test the deal, the market, and the operating plan so you don't buy a problem.
Book your free diagnostic call →Buying a property to operate as a short-term rental is a different math problem than long-term renting. Your revenue is nightly and seasonal, your costs include cleaning and dynamic management, and your financing carries a mortgage you owe whether or not you book the calendar. This calculator turns the deal into the four numbers that decide it.
Cap rate measures the property's unleveraged yield — net operating income divided by price — and lets you compare deals apples-to-apples. Cash-on-cash return is the leveraged answer: how hard your actual cash in the deal (down payment plus closing and furnishing) is working after the mortgage. Monthly net cash flow is what's left in your pocket each month, and breakeven occupancy is the guardrail — the share of nights you must book just to cover every cost. If your market clears that line with room to spare, you have a deal worth pursuing.
It varies by market, but many STR investors look for cap rates above long-term-rental comps to justify the added operations — often 6%+ unleveraged, with cash-on-cash returns in the double digits when financing and occupancy line up.
Arbitrage means leasing a unit and re-renting it nightly — low capital, no ownership. Buying means you own the asset and the mortgage. Use our → Airbnb Income Calculatorarbitrage calculator for the leasing model and this one for purchases.
This tool computes your exact breakeven occupancy from your rate, financing, and costs. Healthy deals break even comfortably below typical market occupancy, leaving margin for slow seasons.