AU Rentvesting Calculator
Calculate the monthly cost of rentvesting — renting where you want to live while owning an investment property. Compare wealth outcomes vs buying locally, model negative gearing tax benefits, and plan your portfolio exit strategy. All figures in AUD.
Compare total wealth built: rentvesting (investment equity + savings invested) vs buying your own home (home equity only).
The rentvesting ladder: use equity from property 1 to buy property 2. Eventually use combined equity to buy your dream home.
How to Use This Rentvesting Calculator
Enter Your Monthly Rent (what you pay where you want to live), the Investment Property Price and Weekly Rent (what you'll earn), your Deposit, and the Equivalent Home Price (what it would cost to own in your preferred area). The calculator instantly shows your net monthly cost of rentvesting versus buying locally.
Use Advanced to compare 10-year wealth outcomes between strategies, calculate your negative gearing tax refund at your marginal rate, and understand the lifestyle advantages. Use Pro to model the full portfolio ladder (properties 1 and 2), plan your exit into a dream home, and stress-test dual risks.
Rentvesting Formula
Stamp Duty (investment property — state rates apply, no concessions)
Negative Gearing Benefit:
Annual Loss = (Mortgage Interest + Expenses + Depreciation) − Annual Rent
Tax Refund = Annual Loss × Marginal Tax Rate
After-Tax Cost = (Monthly Mortgage − Monthly Rent) − Tax Refund ÷ 12
Example (Sydney rent $3,500/mo, Brisbane investment $650K, $550/wk rent):
Net cost = $3,500 + $3,210 − $2,383 = $4,327/mo
vs. Buying in Sydney at $1.2M: $6,050/mo mortgage
Rentvesting Example — Sydney to Brisbane
Sam: Renting in Surry Hills, Owning in Kelvin Grove
| Item | Rentvesting | Buying in Surry Hills |
| Property Price | $680,000 (Brisbane) | $1,300,000 (Sydney) |
| Deposit (20%) | $136,000 | $260,000 |
| Monthly Mortgage | $3,374 (Brisbane) | $6,457 (Sydney) |
| Monthly Rent Paid | $3,200 (Sydney) | — |
| Monthly Rent Received | −$2,557 (Brisbane) | — |
| Net Monthly Cost | $4,017 | $6,457 |
| Tax Refund (37% MTR) | −$450/mo | $650/mo (PPOR deduction) |
| Effective Monthly Cost | $3,567 | $5,807 |
Sam saves $2,240/month while still building equity in Brisbane, where capital growth has averaged 8%/year from 2020–2025.
Negative Gearing and Depreciation
Australia's negative gearing rules allow investment property losses (when expenses exceed rent) to be offset against other income. Combined with building depreciation claimed on a quantity surveyor report, a typical Brisbane investment property at $650,000 might generate $8,000–$15,000 in annual deductions — returning $2,960–$5,550/year to a 37% MTR investor.
A depreciation schedule costs $700–$1,000 from a quantity surveyor but typically unlocks $5,000–$15,000/year in additional deductions for new or recently renovated properties — the single best documentation investment for rentvesters.