Property Investment Return Calculator
Project the pre-tax cash-on-cash return, annualised return and equity multiple of an Australian investment property across your chosen holding period.
Your results
Calculation breakdown
- Capital growth
- $700,000.00 × (1 + 5%)^10 − $700,000.00 = $440,226.24
- Cash-on-cash return
- $4,000.00 ÷ $150,000.00 × 100 = 2.67%
Assumptions
- All figures are pre-tax estimates and ignore depreciation, capital gains tax and your marginal tax rate.
- Annual cash flow is assumed constant across the holding period.
- Selling costs are calculated on the projected future sale price, not the current price.
- Annualised return uses a compound annual growth rate on total cash invested versus total return.
How this calculator works
Comparing a property investment to other assets means looking beyond the purchase price to the total return generated across the time you hold it. This calculator projects annual cash flow from rent less operating costs and interest, compounds your entered growth rate to estimate the property's future sale value, deducts selling costs to find net sale proceeds, and combines cash flow with capital growth to calculate total profit. From there it works out your cash-on-cash return based on the cash you initially invested, an annualised return using a compound growth rate so it can be compared with other investments on equal footing, and an equity multiple showing how many times your original cash outlay you would have back at the end of the holding period. Every figure here is a pre-tax estimate: it excludes capital gains tax on sale, depreciation deductions along the way, and the effect of your marginal tax rate, all of which can shift the real after-tax result meaningfully depending on your circumstances.
Rates sourced from the Australian Taxation Office for the 2026–27 financial year. Last reviewed 01/07/2026.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'equity multiple' mean?
It's the total value you end up with — your original cash invested plus all profit — divided by the cash you originally put in. An equity multiple of 2x means your money has doubled over the holding period, before tax.
How is the annualised return different from cash-on-cash return?
Cash-on-cash return looks only at one year's cash flow relative to your investment. Annualised return uses a compound growth rate across the whole holding period, combining cash flow and capital growth into a single comparable percentage.
Why are the results labelled pre-tax estimates?
Capital gains tax on sale, depreciation deductions during ownership, and your marginal tax rate on rental income all affect your true after-tax return, and these depend on personal circumstances a general calculator can't capture accurately.
Results are estimates only and are not financial, tax, legal or credit advice.
Rates and thresholds are configured for the 2026–27 Australian financial year and should be reviewed when government settings change.