Real Estate

Cash-on-Cash Return Calculator

Calculate annual return on actual cash invested in property

Calculator

Total Cash Invested

Annual Income & Expenses

Monthly rent x 12

Taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy

Principal and interest only (not escrow)

Cash-on-Cash Return
8.57%
Annual return on cash invested

Cash Flow Calculation

Gross Annual Rent$36,000.00
Operating Expenses-$10,800.00
Net Operating Income (NOI)$25,200.00
Annual Debt Service-$18,000.00
Annual Cash Flow$7,200.00
Monthly Cash Flow
$600.00
Total Cash Invested
$84,000.00
Annual NOI
$25,200.00
Annual Debt Service
$18,000.00

Cash-on-Cash Return Guide

< 4%
Poor
4-8%
Acceptable
8-12%
Good
12%+
Excellent

How to Use

Calculate annual cash return on your real estate investment

1

Enter cash invested

Input down payment, closing costs, and renovation costs

2

Add rental income

Enter gross annual rental income

3

Input operating expenses

Add property tax, insurance, maintenance, vacancy

4

Enter debt service

Input monthly mortgage payment (principal and interest)

5

View return

See cash-on-cash return percentage and cash flow breakdown

Cash-on-Cash Return Formula

CoC Return = (Annual Cash Flow / Total Cash Invested) x 100
Annual Cash Flow = NOI - Annual Debt Service

Pre-tax cash flow divided by your total out-of-pocket investment gives your cash return rate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cash-on-cash return measures the annual pre-tax cash flow relative to the total cash invested. If you invest $50,000 and receive $5,000 annual cash flow, your cash-on-cash return is 10%. It shows the real return on your actual money invested.

8-12% cash-on-cash return is considered good for rental properties. Excellent deals may achieve 12-20%. Below 4% is generally poor unless appreciation potential is significant. Compare to alternative investments - if stocks yield 10%, your property should beat that.

Cash-on-Cash Return = (Annual Pre-Tax Cash Flow / Total Cash Invested) x 100. Cash invested includes down payment, closing costs, and renovation costs. Annual cash flow is NOI minus debt service (mortgage payments).

It measures your actual return on invested capital, accounting for leverage. A property with 6% cap rate can yield 12% cash-on-cash with a mortgage due to leverage. It helps you compare real estate to other investments and evaluate whether your capital is being used efficiently.