Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Total turnover cost
$3,745
Lost rent during vacancy
$1,295
Spread across 12 months
$312
Cost as % of annual rent
16.9%
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How to use this
- 1Enter monthly rent ($).
- 2Enter expected vacancy (days).
- 3Enter make-ready cost (paint, clean, repairs) ($).
- 4Enter marketing / listing cost ($).
- 5Enter leasing fee ($).
- 6Read your total turnover cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Turnover is the single biggest hidden cost in rental ownership. It's not just the lost rent during vacancy; it's paint, cleaning, carpet or flooring repair, marketing, screening, and the leasing fee if you use a manager or agent. This calculator adds every piece so you can see the real cost of a tenant leaving and compare it to the cost of proactively keeping a good tenant with a modest renewal incentive. Owners who only track lost rent routinely underestimate turnover cost by 40-60% because make-ready and marketing don't show up on a bank statement the same way a rent check does.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Monthly rent: 1850 $
- Expected vacancy: 21 days
- Make-ready cost (paint, clean, repairs): 900 $
- Marketing / listing cost: 150 $
- Leasing fee: 1400 $
Results
- Total turnover cost: $3,745
- Lost rent during vacancy: $1,295
- Spread across 12 months: $312
- Cost as % of annual rent: 16.9%
What each field means
Inputs
- Monthly rent ($)
- The monthly rent used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 1850 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Expected vacancy (days)
- The expected vacancy used in the calculation, measured in days. Starts at 21 days so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–180 days.
- Make-ready cost (paint, clean, repairs) ($)
- The make-ready cost (paint, clean, repairs) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 900 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Marketing / listing cost ($)
- The marketing / listing cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 150 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Leasing fee ($)
- The leasing fee used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 1400 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Total turnover cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Lost rent during vacancy
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Spread across 12 months
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cost as % of annual rent
- Returned as a percentage. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How much does turnover typically cost?
Industry surveys put average turnover cost between one and two months' rent once you include vacancy, make-ready, and leasing costs. For a $1,850/month unit that's commonly $2,000-$3,700, which is why retention incentives that cost a few hundred dollars are almost always cheaper.
Should I include my own labor in make-ready cost?
Yes, at a fair hourly rate, even if you're doing the painting yourself. Otherwise you're comparing a turnover that costs you real weekend hours against a renewal that costs a $200 gift card, and the comparison looks artificially close.
How do I reduce vacancy days?
Start marketing 30-45 days before move-out, allow the outgoing tenant to show the unit for a rent credit, and have your make-ready vendor scheduled before the lease ends instead of after. Each week of vacancy avoided is worth roughly a quarter of a month's rent.
Does a security deposit offset this cost?
Only for damage beyond normal wear and tear, and only up to whatever you legally withheld and can document. Most states cap deposits at one to two months' rent, and normal painting between tenants isn't billable to the deposit in most jurisdictions.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Rental Vacancy Loss Calculator
Convert vacancy rate or vacant days into dollars lost across your portfolio.
Lease Renewal vs Turnover Cost Calculator
Compare a renewal incentive's cost against letting a tenant leave and re-leasing the unit.
Lease-Up Marketing Cost Per Lease Calculator
What it actually costs to fill a vacant unit across listing sites, signage, and leasing staff time.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Tenant Turnover Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tenant-turnover-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tenant-turnover-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tenant Turnover Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Tenant Turnover Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tenant-turnover-cost) (2026).