Rental Cash Flow Calculator
Find monthly cash flow on a rental property.
Taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.
Results update as you type.
How it works
Cash flow is the lifeblood of a rental property investment, and this calculator finds it. You enter the monthly rent, the mortgage payment, and all other monthly expenses, and it returns the monthly and annual cash flow. Cash flow is simply what's left of the rent after paying the mortgage and every operating cost — property taxes, insurance, maintenance and repairs, property management fees, HOA dues, and a reserve for vacancies. Positive cash flow means the property puts money in your pocket every month, which is the goal for most buy-and-hold investors; negative cash flow means you pay out of pocket to keep it, betting on appreciation to make up the difference, which is riskier. Many investors overestimate cash flow by forgetting expenses like maintenance and vacancy — a common guideline is to budget for these even in months when nothing breaks and the unit is occupied, since over time they are real costs. To be thorough, include a vacancy allowance (often 5 to 10 percent of rent) and a maintenance reserve in your monthly expenses. This calculator helps you screen rental deals and understand a property's true monthly performance before buying. Cash flow, alongside metrics like cap rate and cash-on-cash return, tells you whether a rental is a sound investment. Enter the rent, mortgage, and expenses to find the cash flow.
Cash flow = rent − mortgage payment − other expenses
Monthly cash flow is the rental income minus the mortgage payment and all other monthly expenses like property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and management. A positive result means the property makes money each month; a negative one means it costs you money to hold.
Source:Real estate investing
We review all our tools from time to time to ensure accuracy.
Worked example
How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter your values
Enter monthly rent income, mortgage payment and other monthly expenses.
- 2
Adjust the options
Fine-tune any options to match your situation.
- 3
Read your result
Monthly cash flow updates instantly as you type — no button to press.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate rental cash flow?
Subtract the mortgage payment and all other monthly expenses from the monthly rent. For $2,000 rent, a $1,200 mortgage, and $400 in expenses, cash flow is $400 a month, or $4,800 a year. Positive cash flow means the property earns money monthly; negative means it costs you money to hold.
What expenses should I include?
Include everything beyond the mortgage: property taxes, insurance, maintenance and repairs, property management fees, HOA dues, utilities you pay, and a reserve for vacancies. Investors often forget maintenance and vacancy, which overstates cash flow. Budgeting realistically for these even in good months gives a truer picture of what the property actually earns over time.
What is a good cash flow?
It depends on your goals and market, but many investors seek meaningfully positive monthly cash flow per unit after all expenses, sometimes targeting a minimum like $100 to $300 per door. The key is that cash flow is genuinely positive after realistic expenses and reserves, not just on paper, so the property can weather vacancies and repairs.
Is negative cash flow ever acceptable?
Some investors accept negative cash flow in high-appreciation markets, betting that rising value and rents will outweigh the monthly loss. This is riskier because it relies on appreciation, which is not guaranteed, and requires paying out of pocket meanwhile. Most buy-and-hold investors prefer positive cash flow so the property sustains itself regardless of market swings.
How does cash flow relate to other metrics?
Cash flow is the actual monthly money a property produces, while cap rate measures unleveraged return on value and cash-on-cash return measures cash flow relative to the cash you invested. Together they give a fuller picture: cash flow shows sustainability, cap rate compares properties, and cash-on-cash shows the return on your down payment and costs.