Break-even rate calculator
The lowest nightly rate that pays your bills at the occupancy you expect, after platform fees and turnovers. Add a monthly target to see the rate that earns it.
Your month
Kept in this browserMortgage or rent, insurance, internet, software, base utilities
Be conservative
Cleaner, laundry, restock
Extra power, water, coffee
What you want left after every bill. 0 = just break even.
At 18 booked nights and 6 stays a month. Below this, the month loses money.
| Booked nights / month | Minimum rate |
|---|---|
| 10 | $230.62 |
| 14 | $169.75 |
| 18 | $135.94 |
| 22 | $114.42 |
| 26 | $99.53 |
How it works
How the break-even rate calculator works
Add up a month of costs: fixed bills, a turnover for every stay and a small cost for every booked night. Take off what your cleaning fees bring in after the platform fee, then spread what's left over your booked nights, grossed up for the fee.
- Stays = booked nights ÷ average stay
- Rate = (monthly costs − stays × cleaning fee × (1 − fee rate)) ÷ (booked nights × (1 − fee rate))
A worked example
$1,800 of fixed costs, 18 booked nights in 3-night stays, $110 per turnover, $12 per night and a $120 cleaning fee, on the 15.5% single fee.
| Fixed monthly costs | $1,800.00 |
|---|---|
| 6 stays × $110 turnover | $660.00 |
| 18 nights × $12 | $216.00 |
| Monthly costs | $2,676.00 |
| Cleaning fees kept: 6 × $120 × 0.845 | −$608.40 |
| Left for the nights, ÷ (18 × 0.845) | $2,067.60 |
| Break-even nightly rateRounded up to the cent | $135.94 |
Below $135.94 a night, this month loses money. Book 10 nights and the floor rises to $230.62; book 26 and it drops to $99.53.
What it doesn't do
- It isn't a price. What guests will pay depends on your market and season.
- It leaves out income tax, loan principal and one-time purchases.
- It assumes every month looks like the one you enter, so run your slow season separately.
Fee facts from Airbnb's service fees page (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 30, 2026.
Questions hosts ask
What is a break-even nightly rate?
The lowest nightly price at which a month of bookings pays all your costs after platform fees. Below it, the month loses money.
Why does occupancy change the rate so much?
Fixed costs stay the same whether you book 10 nights or 26, so fewer nights each carry more of them. In the example above the floor is $230.62 at 10 nights and $99.53 at 26.
Can I add a profit target?
Yes. Enter the monthly amount you want left after every bill, and the rate rises to earn it.
How do I use it with a pricing tool?
Set it as your minimum price, so a slow week never books below cost.
Read next
- ToolAirbnb monthly profit calculatorOne month of hosting from your own numbers: payout after fees, turnover and fixed costs, profit or loss, and the booked nights you need to break even.
- AnswerWhat nightly rate do I need to break even on my Airbnb?Add monthly fixed costs, turnovers and per-night costs, subtract what cleaning fees bring in, then divide by booked nights after the platform fee.
- AnswerShould I allow one-night stays on my Airbnb?Every stay carries one turnover, so short stays earn less per night. See the math for 1 to 4 nights and when a one-night stay still makes sense.
- AnswerHow much weekly discount should an Airbnb offer?The largest weekly discount that pays for itself, from turnovers saved and gap nights avoided. Formula, worked example and a table by stay length.
- GuideHow do I calculate the profit from one short-term rental stay?A clear method for counting stay income, platform fees and costs once each, so your per-stay result reflects what you actually keep.