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Cash on Cash Return Calculator

See exactly what your invested dollars earn each year. Enter price, rent, expenses, and financing, and your cash-on-cash return, monthly cash flow, and DSCR update live.

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Global Property Details

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$
$
$
$
Property
Shared Financing

Applies to this tab. Down payment, rate, and term drive the mortgage.

%
= $50,000 down
%
= $6,000 closing
%
≈ $1,264 / mo P&I
yr
≈ $255,089 interest over 30 yr
Teaser metric, free preview
Cash-on-Cash Return
4.4%
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  • Deal score (0–100)
  • Monthly cash flow
  • Cash-on-cash return
  • Cap rate & DSCR
  • 1%, 50%, rent/PITI rules
  • Break-even occupancy
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LTR inputs
$
%
1 to 4 unit residential. Larger multifamily coming later.
$
Operating expenses
%
%
%
Total monthly OpEx: $209
Custom expenses

No custom expenses yet. Add anything specific to this deal, lawn care, permits, pest, etc.

Adds $0/mo equivalent.

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What cash-on-cash return really tells you

Cash-on-cash return is the single number that tells you how hard your invested dollars are working in a rental. It strips out appreciation, principal paydown, and tax effects, and answers one question: of the money I actually put in, what percentage comes back as cash this year?

The formula

CoC = Annual Pre-Tax Cash Flow ÷ Total Cash Invested

Cash flow = rent − operating expenses − debt service. Cash invested = down payment + closing costs + initial repairs. Both pieces have to be honest for the result to be honest.

Why leverage changes the answer

A property with a 6% cap rate financed at 75% LTV can produce a 12% CoC, because the denominator (your cash) is small relative to the cash flow the whole property generates. Pay all-cash on the same property and CoC collapses back toward 6%. Leverage is the multiplier, but it also adds DSCR risk if rents soften. The calculator shows both sides.

Benchmarks by strategy

  • Stabilized LTR: 8–10% CoC is the floor; 10–12% is strong.
  • House hack: 15%+ is common because you live in one unit and the others subsidize.
  • BRRRR after refi: Often infinite, since capital left in deal goes to zero.
  • Short-term rental: 12–20% is achievable but with higher operational and regulatory risk.

Common mistakes

  • Skipping closing costs. Inflates CoC by 10–20%.
  • Ignoring capex reserves. Year one looks great until the HVAC dies.
  • Self-management at $0. Model 8% so the number survives a move or job change.
  • Top-of-comp rent. Use the lower end so vacancy doesn't blow the number up.

Glossary

  • CoC: Cash-on-Cash return. Annual cash flow ÷ cash invested.
  • NOI: Net Operating Income. Rent minus operating expenses, before debt service.
  • DSCR: Debt Service Coverage Ratio. NOI ÷ annual debt service.
  • Cap Rate: NOI ÷ purchase price. Unlevered yield.
  • Leverage: Using debt to amplify return on invested cash.

Frequently asked questions

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Estimates only, based on the inputs you provide and third-party data. Not investment, tax, accounting, or legal advice. See our full disclaimer.