Enter your hosting assumptions
Example data table
This example shows how three monthly scenarios can change the income outlook for a short-term rental property.
| Scenario | Nightly Rate | Occupancy | Bookings | Gross Revenue | Net Cash Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season | $125 | 54% | 5.2 | $2,358 | $412 |
| Base case | $155 | 68% | 6.5 | $3,654 | $1,086 |
| Peak season | $189 | 79% | 7.1 | $4,891 | $1,972 |
Formula used
1. Blended nightly rate
Blended Rate = Weekday Rate × [1 + (Weekend Share × Weekend Premium)]
2. Effective booked nights
Booked Nights = Available Nights × Occupancy Rate × (1 − Cancellation Rate)
3. Estimated bookings
Estimated Bookings = Booked Nights ÷ Average Stay Length
4. Room revenue
Room Revenue = Blended Rate × Booked Nights × Seasonality Multiplier
5. Gross revenue
Gross Revenue = Room Revenue + Cleaning Fee Revenue + Extra Booking Income + Monthly Other Income
6. Operating expenses
Operating Expenses = Platform Fees + Processing Fees + Management Fees + Turnover Costs + Fixed Costs + Lodging Tax Deduction
7. Net cash flow
Net Cash Flow = Gross Revenue − Operating Expenses − Income Tax
8. Break-even occupancy
Break-even Occupancy = Break-even Nights ÷ Available Nights × 100
How to use this calculator
- Enter the property name, currency symbol, and available nights for a typical month.
- Add pricing assumptions, including weekday rate, weekend premium, weekend share, and seasonality multiplier.
- Estimate booking behavior with occupancy, cancellation rate, and average stay length.
- Include guest-paid charges and ancillary income such as cleaning fees, extra guest fees, and other monthly earnings.
- Add platform, payment, management, turnover, and fixed monthly costs for a realistic operating picture.
- Choose how lodging tax is handled and enter an estimated income tax rate.
- Click Estimate Revenue to display the results above the form below the header.
- Use the CSV and PDF buttons to save a working report for owners, partners, or lenders.
FAQs
1. What does this estimator measure?
It estimates monthly and annual short-term rental revenue, expenses, taxes, and cash flow. It also shows ADR, RevPAR, bookings, and break-even occupancy for better investment decisions.
2. Why include weekend premium and weekend share?
Many listings charge more on weekends. These fields create a blended nightly rate that better reflects real booking patterns than a single flat average price.
3. How is cancellation rate used?
Cancellation rate reduces gross booked nights before revenue is calculated. This gives a more conservative estimate when your calendar fills but some reservations do not convert into stays.
4. Does the estimator include cleaning fees?
Yes. It adds cleaning fees charged to guests as revenue and subtracts turnover cleaning costs and linen or restocking costs as expenses.
5. What is the difference between ADR and RevPAR?
ADR measures average daily rate earned on sold nights. RevPAR spreads room revenue across all available nights, making it useful for comparing pricing and occupancy together.
6. Should I include mortgage payments here?
Yes, if you want owner-level cash flow. Enter mortgage or rent in fixed costs. Leave it out when you only want property operating performance before financing.
7. How should I handle lodging taxes?
Choose whether the host remits taxes or the platform collects them. The tool still shows the estimated tax amount so you can plan compliance and cash reserves.
8. Is this enough for a final investment decision?
It is a planning tool, not a guarantee. Validate assumptions with local demand, regulations, seasonality, insurance, financing terms, and actual operating history before buying.