Home Airbnb Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator
Airbnb Rental Property Cash Flow Calculator
Enter the price, deposit, loan rate, nightly rate, occupancy and running costs. See the cash flow after the loan and every cost, before you buy. Airbnb cash flow is the booking income left after the loan repayment and every running cost, so a positive result means the property pays for itself before tax.
Free calculator
Calculate your Airbnb cash flow
Enter the price, deposit, loan interest rate, average nightly rate, occupancy and yearly running costs, and the calculator shows your cash flow a week, a month and a year after the loan. A positive figure means the Airbnb pays for itself before tax; a negative one is what you top up yourself.
The short answer
Airbnb cash flow is the booking income left after the loan repayment and every running cost. If the number is positive, the property pays for itself before tax. If it is negative, you top it up from your own pocket each week. Run the calculator three times: at your expected occupancy, at a lower occupancy, and at a higher interest rate. If it still holds up, the numbers are sound.
General information only, not financial or tax advice.
How it works
What goes into Airbnb cash flow
Cash flow is booking income minus the costs of running the property and the loan repayment. Booking income is the average nightly rate multiplied by the nights you are booked. Costs are the platform fee, cleaning and linen, management, utilities and internet, insurance, council rates and water, strata and maintenance.
Then take off the loan repayment. Use the interest rate your lender would actually charge, and whether the loan is interest-only or principal and interest, because that changes the weekly figure a lot. A positive result means the property pays for itself before tax.
Two things most online calculators miss: quiet months, and the first year of ramp-up. Use the average rate across the whole year, not your best week, and check what your lender will count. Many lenders shade short-term rental income, with around 70% commonly counted.
Worked example
Example: an $800,000 Airbnb at two occupancy levels
Illustration only, not a forecast. Based on a $640,000 interest-only loan at 6.2%, a $350 average nightly rate, management at 20%, and the running costs shown. Your numbers will differ. At 65% occupancy the example runs $4,241 a year short; at 75% it is $5,596 ahead.
Ten points of occupancy swing the result by about $9,800 a year. That is why you test occupancy and the interest rate before you buy.
Before you rely on the result
Tips for a realistic result
A realistic cash flow result comes from honest inputs. Use the average nightly rate for the whole year, take occupancy down by ten points, add an interest rate two points higher, and count every cost from cleaning and linen to rates and strata. If the property still holds up, the numbers are sound.
- 1Use the yearly average
Use the average nightly rate for the whole year, including quiet months, not your best week.
- 2Stress-test the loan
Run it again with an interest rate 2 points higher to see how much buffer you have.
- 3Lower the occupancy
Drop occupancy by 10 points. If cash flow turns deeply negative, the deal depends on everything going right.
- 4Check the rules
Check that short-term letting is allowed by the council and strata before you rely on any figure.
- 5Count every cost
Include cleaning, linen, platform fees, utilities, insurance, rates, management and maintenance.
Results are estimates from the numbers you enter. They are general information, not financial or tax advice.
Know the difference
Cash flow, yield and cash on cash return
Cash flow is dollars in your pocket after the loan. Gross yield is annual income divided by the price. Net yield takes running costs off first. Cash on cash return is annual cash flow divided by the cash you put in (deposit, stamp duty and setup). Each answers a different question, so look at them together.
To work out yield on its own, use the short-term rental yield calculator. To compare with a standard rental, use the investment property yield calculator. To check your repayments, use the mortgage calculator. To estimate income for an address, try the Airbnb income estimator. All our tools are on the property resources and calculators page.
Cash flow calculator: common questions
Common questions about the Airbnb cash flow calculator: what it shows, how to calculate cash flow on an Airbnb property, whether an Airbnb can cover its mortgage, which costs to include, what occupancy to use, and whether lenders count Airbnb income. The results are general information, not financial or tax advice.
What does the Airbnb cash flow calculator show?
The weekly, monthly and yearly cash flow after loan repayments and running costs, so you can see whether the property pays for itself before tax.
How do I calculate cash flow on an Airbnb property?
Work out yearly booking income (average nightly rate times nights booked), take off the platform fee, cleaning, linen, management, utilities, insurance, rates, strata and maintenance, then take off the loan repayment. What is left is your cash flow.
Will an Airbnb cover its mortgage?
Sometimes. It depends on the price, the deposit, the interest rate, the nightly rate and the occupancy. Many Airbnbs run slightly negative in quiet years and positive in busy ones, so test the numbers at low and high occupancy.
What costs are included?
Cleaning, linen, management, platform fees, utilities, internet, insurance, council rates, water, strata and maintenance, along with the loan.
What is a good cash flow for an Airbnb?
Positive after a stress test is the aim: still at or above zero with a lower occupancy and a higher interest rate. How much you need depends on your goals and your other income.
How do I stress-test the result?
Run it again with an interest rate 2 points higher and occupancy 10 points lower. The gap between the two results shows how much buffer you have.
What occupancy should I use?
Use a yearly average, not a peak-season figure. Check real data for the area and the number of bedrooms. Our Airbnb buyers agents use booking data from top-performing homes rather than market averages.
Do lenders count Airbnb income?
Many do, but they often shade it, with around 70% commonly counted, and policies vary. Ask your broker how your lender treats short-term rental income.
Is this tax or financial advice?
No. It gives general estimates from the numbers you enter. Speak with a licensed adviser or accountant about your own situation, including negative gearing and depreciation.
Facts checked 28 October 2026.
- Australian consumer prices rose 4.3% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 4.0% in the 12 months to August 2026, so use current quotes for cleaning, insurance and utilities (ABS: Consumer Price Index, checked 28 October 2026).
- The Reserve Bank’s cash rate target is 4.60%, after a 0.25 percentage point rise that took effect on 30 September 2026, so stress-test the loan at a higher rate (RBA, checked 28 October 2026).
- From 1 July 2027 the 50% CGT discount for individuals, trusts and partnerships is replaced by cost base indexation and a 30% minimum tax rate on capital gains, and it applies only to gains that accrue after that date (ATO: tax reform, checked 28 October 2026).
- Also from 1 July 2027, negative gearing for residential property investments is limited to new builds, and properties held at 7:30pm AEST on 12 May 2026 are exempt from that change (ATO: tax reform, checked 28 October 2026).
Want a second opinion on the numbers?
Our Airbnb buyers agents model income from real booking data before you buy. Book a free 15-minute call. You can also call 0434 211 016 during business hours, Monday to Friday 8 am to 5:30 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm, or send a message from the contact page.