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Zero Flux

Rental property calculator

Enter a rental's price, loan, rent and expenses to see monthly cash flow, NOI, cap rate, cash-on-cash return and DSCR together.

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Rental property cash flow calculator

The starting figures describe a hypothetical $300,000 single-family rental bought with 20% down. Replace them with your own quote, lease and tax bill.

Share of gross rent
Share of rent collected
Monthly cash flow
-$223
-$2,670 a year
Cash-on-cash return
-3.87%
On $69,000 invested
Net operating income
$17,467
Per year, before the loan
Cap rate
5.82%
NOI ÷ price
DSCR
0.87
NOI ÷ annual loan payments
Mortgage payment
$1,678
Principal and interest

Formula: NOI = rent after vacancy − operating expenses. Cash flow = NOI − loan payments. Cash-on-cash = cash flow ÷ (down payment + closing and repair costs).

Maintenance and management percentages are placeholder assumptions, not benchmarks. Use quotes and the property's records. Starting figures are hypothetical examples, except where a section names its source. Results are screening estimates, not appraisals, loan approvals or investment advice.

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How the rental property calculator works

It follows the cash flow order in the National Apartment Association's formula guide: income, then operating expenses, then debt service. Here is the default example worked through.

  1. Income after vacancy

    $2,400 a month is $28,800 a year. Losing 5% to vacancy leaves $27,360 collected.

  2. Operating expenses

    Property tax $3,600, insurance $1,800, maintenance at 8% of rent $2,304 and management at 8% of collected rent $2,189. Total: $9,893.

  3. Net operating income

    $27,360 − $9,893 = $17,467 a year. That is a cap rate of 5.82% on the $300,000 price.

  4. Loan payments

    A $240,000, 30-year loan at 7.5% costs $1,678 a month, or $20,137 a year. DSCR is $17,467 ÷ $20,137 = 0.87.

  5. Cash flow and return

    $17,467 − $20,137 = −$2,670 a year, about −$223 a month. On $69,000 invested, cash-on-cash return is −3.87%.

With these assumptions, rent would need to reach about $2,680 a month to break even. Freddie Mac's 30-year average was 7.40% on October 15, 2026, so financing costs weigh on many deals like this one. Use the rate you are quoted, not an average.

How to read the results

Monthly cash flow

Positive means the rent pays every cost with money left over. Negative means you add cash each month, which you may accept for appreciation or loan paydown, but should plan for.

Cap rate versus the loan cost

Divide a year of loan payments by the loan amount. In the example that is $20,137 ÷ $240,000 = 8.39%. When the cap rate is lower, as 5.82% is here, each borrowed dollar costs more than it earns and cash flow turns negative.

DSCR

Below 1.00, NOI does not cover the loan. DSCR lenders often measure differently, using gross rent ÷ PITIA, so check their method in the DSCR calculator.

What it leaves out

Appreciation, principal paydown, depreciation, income tax and selling costs. Use it to screen a deal, then model the full holding period.

Frequently asked questions

QUICK ANSWERS

How we reviewed this

Sources reviewed October 16, 2026. The worked example is hypothetical; the mortgage rate average is Freddie Mac's published figure.

Sources