Airbnb vs Long-Term Rental Calculator: Yield and Cash Flow

Airbnb or a standard lease: comparing net cash flow

The simulator calculates short-term rental income (nights booked × average nightly rate), deducts platform commission, management fees, utilities and property tax, then compares the monthly cash flow with a standard lease. For a €185,000 property let at €95 a night with 68% occupancy, short-term letting yields +€261 a month against −€135 for a long-term lease, before tax.

Formulas

• Nights booked = 365 × occupancy rate, rounded. Gross income = nights × average nightly rate. Cleaning fees are treated as passed on to guests and excluded from income.
• Costs = platform commission + management fee (as % of gross income) + utilities × 12 + property tax.
• Standard lease: rent × 12 − property tax − 8% management fee.
• Monthly cash flow = annual net income ÷ 12 − loan payment. Net yield = annual net income ÷ property price.

Worked example

A €185,000 property with a €750 monthly loan payment. At €95 a night and 68% occupancy, 248 nights bring in €23,560. After a 15.5% commission (€3,652), a 20% management fee (€4,712), €2,160 of utilities and €900 of property tax, €12,136 remains: a 6.6% net yield and +€261 of monthly cash flow. Let at €750 a month on a standard lease, the same property leaves €7,380, i.e. 4.0% and −€135 a month. Short-term letting therefore brings in €396 more per month; the advantage disappears below about 47% occupancy.

Limits

The calculation is pre-tax and ignores furnishing, insurance, vacancy on the standard lease and seasonality. The French 120-day annual cap only applies to letting out your main residence: a property bought to be let is not subject to it. This is an indicative simulation and does not replace professional advice.

Sources and dates: French Tourism Code, article L324-1-1 as amended by Act no. 2024-1039 of 19 November 2024: a main residence may be let for at most 120 days a year, a cap that municipalities can lower to 90 days since 1 January 2025; impots.gouv.fr: micro-BIC regime for unclassified furnished tourist lets limited to €15,000 of income with a 30% allowance from 2025 income; Airbnb Help Centre: single host-only service fee of 15.5% for most hosts, rolled out in 2026, used as the default rate (checked on 14/10/2026).

Frequently Asked Questions

At what occupancy rate does Airbnb beat a standard lease?

With the default values (€95 a night, 35.5% commission and management, €750 standard rent), the break-even point is around 47% occupancy, roughly 170 nights a year. At 68%, short-term letting brings in €396 more per month; at 45%, it brings in €33 less.

How many days a year can a main residence be let as a furnished tourist let in France?

At most 120 days per calendar year, except for work obligations, health reasons or force majeure (article L324-1-1 of the French Tourism Code). Since 1 January 2025, municipalities can lower this cap to 90 days by a reasoned decision. A property bought to be let, as in the tool's example, is not a main residence and falls outside this cap.

What commission does Airbnb charge hosts?

According to Airbnb's Help Centre, most hosts are moving in 2026 to a single 15.5% service fee paid by the host, with a deadline of 13 October 2026 in the European Economic Area. Hosts still on the split fee pay about 3%, with guests paying the rest. The tool uses 15.5% by default: adjust the value if you are on the split fee.

How is income from a furnished tourist let taxed under the French micro-BIC regime?

From 2025 income, an unclassified furnished tourist let falls under micro-BIC up to €15,000 of takings with a 30% allowance. A classified let gets a 50% allowance, up to €77,700 for 2025 income and €83,600 for 2026 income. The tool does not calculate this tax.

Is this tool really free?

Yes, all tools on Kristools are 100% free and accessible without registration.

Is my data protected?

Yes. All processing is performed directly and securely inside your browser. No personal data is sent to our servers.