Airbnb Income Calculator

Project gross revenue and net cash flow for a short-term rental from your nightly rate and occupancy.

Avg Nightly Rate (ADR)

Occupancy (%)

Cleaning Fee / Stay

Avg Nights / Stay

Monthly Expensesmortgage, utilities, mgmt, supplies, insurance

STR operating costs run higher than long-term rentals — budget for cleaning, restocking supplies, higher utilities, and 20–30% management if hosted remotely.

Net Monthly Cash Flow

+$359/mo

$4,305 net per year after all expenses

Booked Nights / Yr

237

Gross Revenue

$42,705

Net Income

$4,305

Annual Income Breakdown

Booked Nights (65% of 365)	237 nights
Room Revenue (ADR × booked nights)	$42,705
Est. Stays / Year	79
Cleaning Fees Collected (pass-through)	$7,118
Annual Expenses	−$38,400
Net Annual Income	$4,305

Short-term vs long-term: is the premium worth it?

A well-run short-term rental can gross two to three times what the same home would earn as a long-term lease — but that headline number is misleading until you subtract STR-specific costs. Cleaning, restocking, higher utilities, furnishing, platform fees, and 20–30% for a co-host or manager all eat into the spread. STRs also swing hard with seasonality and local regulation: many cities now cap permits or ban non-owner-occupied rentals outright. Check your city and HOA rules before you buy, and stress-test the deal at a lower occupancy than you hope for.

How the Airbnb revenue math works

Gross short-term-rental revenue is simply average daily rate × occupancy × 365. Occupancy is the share of nights booked across the whole year, so a 65% occupancy means roughly 237booked nights. Cleaning fees are usually collected from guests and paid straight to a cleaner, so they're close to revenue-neutral — we show them separately and keep room revenue as the headline.

Net income subtracts your annual operating costs (mortgage, utilities, management, supplies, insurance). Because STR insurance and utilities run higher than a standard rental, make sure you carry the right coverage — see our landlord insurance guide. For the full investment picture, read the short-term rental and Airbnb investment guide, and compare against a traditional lease using our rental property ROI analysis guide.

Short-Term Rental Guide →Rental ROI Guide →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a realistic Airbnb occupancy rate?

It varies widely by location and season, but many active short-term rentals run 50–70% annual occupancy. Vacation hotspots can exceed that in peak months and fall well below it off-season. Use local data from tools like AirDNA, and model your deal conservatively rather than assuming year-round full booking.

Does an Airbnb really earn more than a long-term rental?

Often yes on gross revenue — two to three times a standard lease is common in strong markets. But STR expenses are much higher (cleaning, supplies, utilities, management, vacancy), so the net advantage is smaller than the gross suggests. Always compare net cash flow, not gross revenue, against a long-term scenario.

What expenses should I include for an STR?

Mortgage, property taxes, STR-rated insurance, utilities (you pay them, not the guest), internet, cleaning, restocking consumables, furnishing depreciation, platform service fees, and management (20–30% if you use a co-host). Many new hosts underestimate supplies and turnover labor.

Are short-term rentals legal everywhere?

No. A growing number of cities require permits, cap the number of rental nights, levy occupancy taxes, or ban non-owner-occupied short-term rentals entirely. HOAs may also prohibit them. Confirm local ordinances and your HOA rules before buying — a regulation change can wipe out the whole business plan.