4 minute read · Editorial update October 12, 2026

The visual guide / 01

Where the rent goes

Illustrative monthly amounts, invented to explain the calculation.

Every part of the rent has a job. The narrow gold end is the $100 left over.

Collected rent$2,400

Mortgage payment− $1,550

Tax, insurance & other operating costs− $500

Vacancy & repair allowance− $250

Monthly surplus$100

Not a Calgary rent estimate or return forecast. Major work, tax and other costs may change the outcome.

Property typePurchase priceDown paymentClosing/initial cash reserveImmediate renovation or setup budgetInterest rate %Amortization yearsMonthly gross rentMonthly other incomeMonthly property taxMonthly insuranceMonthly condo/HOA feesMonthly owner-paid utilitiesManagement allowance %Monthly repair reserveMonthly major repairs reserveVacancy allowance %Suite/legal-use confidenceRent evidenceExit number of potential buyers

Result

Complete the worksheet to see your results.

The output will show score, estimated amount, risks, or suggested path depending on the tool.

Use rent you can explain

Compare rentals a prospective tenant would see as alternatives: bedroom count, condition, parking, laundry, outdoor space and utilities matter. Record whether a figure is an asking rent or a confirmed agreement, and when you checked it.

For an occupied property, start with the actual tenancy and obtain advice before assuming the rent can immediately change. For a vacant home, explain the proposed rent with comparable evidence. Keep an optimistic figure as a separate scenario rather than letting it quietly become the base case.

Have the lender explain how income is treated for financing. The calculator's rent input is your budget assumption, not a lending decision or verification that the property can be rented as intended.

Enter monthly costs consistently

Convert annual property tax and insurance to monthly amounts before entering them. Include utilities you pay, fees, management and allowances for vacancy, repairs and future replacements. Avoid double-counting utilities included in condo fees.

Future major work needs a cash plan as well as a monthly allowance. If a furnace needs replacing soon, money you plan to save over several years will not pay the immediate bill.

Worked example

A small surplus can disappear quickly

AssumptionBase caseSlower month

Rent collected

$2,400

$0 during one vacant month

Regular bills

$2,100

$2,100 still due in this example

Before repairs and tax

$300

−$2,100

Invented figures. A monthly vacancy allowance spreads risk across a model; it does not create cash to pay a vacant month immediately.

Read the definitions before comparing returns

The monthly cash-flow figure subtracts the entered mortgage payment and costs from the entered income. It is an estimate before income tax and costs you have omitted. It does not establish market rent or whether financing is available.

The return on entered cash uses the cash amounts included in the tool. It does not predict appreciation, tax outcomes or sale proceeds. The displayed cap-rate calculation includes the operating allowances entered here; compare it with other figures only when the definitions and included expenses match.

Try a vacancy and a repair

Keep the ordinary budget and the less favourable version. Bring the uncertain rent or cost to the person who can confirm it, then update the calculation.

Run two separate tests: a full-year budget and the cash needed for the first vacancy or repair. Keep any mortgage principal repayment or possible appreciation separate from cash available to pay this month’s bills.

Keep going

Check the rental purchase →Read the investment guide →

Replace estimates with evidence

Official starting points for this tool

Use the authority responsible for the question, record its date and scope, and verify the current property, agreement, financing, insurance, document, or deadline with the appropriate qualified professional.

Alberta residential tenancy informationRead the current official guidance and confirm what applies to your property.City of Calgary secondary-suite guidanceCurrent approval, registry, safety, and owner pathways for secondary suites.Financial Consumer Agency of Canada mortgage guidanceFederal information about qualification, pre-approval, borrowing costs, and mortgage questions.Government of Alberta insurance informationConsumer information about policies, claims, questions, and complaint paths.City of Calgary property assessment and taxOfficial assessment notices, tax information, and property-specific City resources.

Source pathways reviewed July 29, 2026. Tool outputs use user-entered assumptions and provide general education only.

What would a Calgary rental leave you each month?