Airbnb vs Long-Term Rental Calculator

Compare a short-term rental (Airbnb/VRBO) with a traditional lease for the same property. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.

Shared costs

Fixed monthly costs ($: mortgage, tax, insurance, HOA)

Short-term rental

Average nightly rate ($)

Occupancy (%)

Average stay (nights)

Cleaning fee charged to guest ($)

Your cleaning cost per stay ($)

Platform fees (% of revenue)

Co-host / management (% of revenue)

Utilities, internet, supplies ($/mo)

Furnishing & setup cost ($)

Long-term rental

Monthly rent ($)

Vacancy (%)

Management (% of rent)

Owner-paid utilities ($/mo)

Results

Booked nights / month

STR gross revenue / month

STR monthly cash flow

Long-term monthly cash flow

STR advantage / month

Break-even occupancy

Furnishing payback

How the comparison works

Both strategies share the same fixed costs (mortgage, property tax, insurance, HOA). For the short-term rental: booked nights = 30.4 × occupancy; stays = nights ÷ average stay; revenue = nights × nightly rate + stays × guest cleaning fee. Costs are platform and management fees (a % of revenue), your cleaning cost per turnover, and utilities/supplies. For the long-term rental: rent × (1 − vacancy) − management − owner-paid utilities.

Break-even occupancy

The occupancy at which short-term cash flow equals long-term cash flow. If your realistic occupancy (check local market data and seasonality) is well above it, STR may be worth the extra work and risk.

Don't forget

Local STR bans, permits and occupancy taxes.
Seasonality — use an annual average occupancy.
Higher insurance and wear-and-tear for STRs.

Model the long-term option in detail with the rental cash flow calculator.

FAQ

Is Airbnb more profitable than long-term renting?

Often in gross revenue, but after cleaning, fees, utilities, furnishing and management the gap can shrink or reverse. Compare net cash flow and break-even occupancy.

What occupancy rate should I assume?

Use local market data; averages vary widely by city and season. Test a pessimistic case too.

Should cleaning fees count as income?

Yes — guest cleaning fees are revenue, and your cleaner's cost is an expense; both are included.

Does this include occupancy or lodging taxes?

No; those are usually collected from guests and remitted, and rules vary by location.