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    Airbnb & Short-Term Rental ROI Calculator

    Pressure-test a short-term rental investment in seconds — cap rate, cash-on-cash return, net operating income, and gross yield from your numbers.

    This short-term rental ROI calculator turns a deal's purchase price, financing, revenue, and expenses into the returns investors actually compare: cap rate (before financing), cash-on-cash return (after the mortgage), net operating income, and gross yield. It is a pre-tax cash-flow model — adjust the inputs to see how the math moves.

    Your numbers

    %
    %
    yrs

    Operating expenses = cleaning, utilities, supplies, repairs/reserve, insurance, fees, and management — but not the mortgage (cap rate is measured before financing). Set down payment to 100% for an all-cash deal.

    Cap rate

    9.3%

    Cash-on-cash

    11.5%

    NOI / year

    $42,000

    Gross yield

    16.0%

    Cash invested$115,000
    Loan amount$360,000
    Annual mortgage$28,741
    Annual cash flow$13,259

    Pre-tax estimate for comparison only — excludes income taxes, depreciation, and appreciation. Confirm with a CPA.

    Reading the results

    What Each Number Tells You

    Three returns, three different questions. Read them together — no single metric decides a deal.

    Cap rate

    NOI ÷ purchase price. A financing-agnostic measure of the property itself — best for comparing two deals on equal footing. Many STR investors target 6–10%.

    Cash-on-cash

    Annual cash flow ÷ cash invested. What your actual out-of-pocket dollars earn after the mortgage. Leverage can raise it — and the risk with it. 8%+ is a common target.

    NOI & gross yield

    NOI is revenue minus operating expenses before financing. Gross yield (revenue ÷ price) is a quick first-glance screen before you layer in costs.

    Not sure what revenue to plug in? Read how much you can make on Airbnb, or get a market-specific number from our revenue calculator.

    FAQ

    STR ROI Calculator FAQs

    Straight answers on measuring short-term rental investment returns.

    How do you calculate ROI on a short-term rental?

    The two headline returns are cap rate and cash-on-cash. Cap rate is net operating income (gross revenue minus operating expenses, before mortgage) divided by purchase price. Cash-on-cash return is your annual pre-tax cash flow (after the mortgage) divided by the actual cash you invested — down payment plus furnishing and closing costs. This calculator computes both, plus gross yield.

    What is a good cap rate or cash-on-cash return for an Airbnb?

    It varies by market and risk, but many short-term-rental investors look for a cap rate in the 6–10% range and a cash-on-cash return of 8%+ once the property is running well. Higher-demand or higher-leverage deals can exceed that; thin-margin deals below it deserve a hard second look. Always compare against what the same capital and effort would earn elsewhere.

    What expenses should I include?

    For operating expenses, include cleaning and turnovers, utilities and internet, supplies, repairs and a maintenance reserve, insurance, platform and software fees, property/occupancy taxes, and management or co-hosting fees. Operating expenses typically run 30–50% of revenue for a self-managed short-term rental. The mortgage is handled separately because cap rate is measured before financing.

    Does this include taxes and appreciation?

    No — this is a pre-tax cash-flow model and does not include income taxes, depreciation, or property appreciation, which vary widely by owner and location. Use it to compare deals and pressure-test assumptions, then confirm the full picture with a CPA. For honest revenue and expense ranges, see our guide on how much you can make on Airbnb.

    Ready to get started?

    Make the Revenue Side of the Equation Bigger

    ROI starts with revenue. BookedMore grows bookings through dynamic pricing, listing optimization, and guest care on performance-based pricing — no flat or setup fees. Get a free estimate for your property.

    Get My Free Revenue Estimate Try the Occupancy Calculator
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