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Renewal vs Turnover Calculator

Your landlord just sent a renewal letter with a $150 increase. Should you accept, or pay the move cost and take a unit across town at market? This calculator rolls up the full renewal cost versus the true cost of moving — deposit forfeiture, first/last, application fees, movers, and lost wages — and tells you how many months you'd need to stay in the new place to justify it.

Current monthly rent

Proposed renewal rent

Market rent elsewhere

Comparison horizon (months)

New place security deposit

New place first month rent

Usually matches market rent

New place last month prepaid

Application fee (per adult)

Adults on the lease

Moving cost

Truck, movers, supplies

Utility connect fees

Deposits, activation

Lost wages / PTO for moving

Current deposit returned %

Current deposit on file

Recommendation

Renewing is cheaper net

Savings if you move

-$2,913

Negative = renew is cheaper

Total cost — renew

$21,600

Total cost — move (net of new deposit)

$24,513

Move upfront cash needed

$5,290

Renewal over market / month

$75

Break-even months to recoup move cost

50.8

Deposit likely forfeited

$248

How the math works

Most renewal letters land with a rent increase above what the tenant would pay as a new lease elsewhere — because landlord pricing software assumes movers rarely leave for small spreads. This calculator makes the tradeoff explicit: compare the total rent-plus-cost of renewing versus the total of walking, including the security deposit and application fees you'd have to pony up on day one.

Rule of thumb: moving typically costs $2,000-$5,000 out-of-pocket and 1-2 days of lost productivity. A $50/month renewal-over-market spread takes about 3 years to catch up to a $2,000 move. If the renewal is flat or below the spread to market, stay. If the spread is $100+/month, the math to move usually pencils within 18 months.

Editorial noteMaintained by EveryCalc - Reviewed June 2026

EveryCalc calculators are designed for fast, practical estimates with transparent inputs and no required account. We use plain formulas, visible assumptions, and related tools so visitors can check the result from more than one angle.

Results are informational only. For financial, tax, legal, medical, construction, or other high-impact decisions, verify the output against primary sources or a qualified professional.

Learn more about our review process on the EveryCalc methodology page.

How this calculator works

What this page estimates

This Renewal vs Turnover Calculator is built to give a quick, browser-based estimate for renewal vs turnover. Your landlord just sent a renewal letter with a $150 increase. Should you accept, or pay the move cost and take a unit across town at market? This calculator rolls up the full renewal cost versus the true cost of moving — deposit forfeiture, first/last, application fees, movers, and lost wages — and tells you how many months you'd need to stay in the new place to justify it. The inputs stay on the page during normal use, and the result should be treated as an estimate for planning, comparison, or education rather than professional advice.

Calculation approach

The calculator applies the standard relationship implied by the inputs, then formats the answer so it can be checked and reused. For finance tools, the most important step is using consistent units, rates, time periods, and assumptions before comparing the result with another calculator or outside quote.

Example workflow

For example, start with a realistic value you already know, change one input at a time, and watch how the answer moves. That makes it easier to tell whether the result is being driven by the main amount, the rate, the time period, or a unit conversion.

Practical checks

Use current, real-world numbers when the result affects money, health, tax, or legal decisions.
Run a low, base, and high case when the inputs are estimates.
Check the related calculators below when the next decision depends on a different assumption.

How to interpret the renewal vs turnover result

Best use

Use the result as a planning number for comparing payments, rates, returns, tax reserves, or cash-flow choices before you request a quote or make a commitment.

Cross-check

Compare the answer with the contract, lender estimate, tax form, brokerage statement, payroll record, or invoice that will control the real-world outcome.

Watch for

Do not rely on a single optimistic rate, return, or fee assumption. Money pages work best when you run low, base, and high cases and keep professional advice separate from the estimate.

This page belongs to the Finance calculator library, so the answer should be read in the context of the decision you are modeling rather than as a universal rule.

Before relying on this renewal vs turnover estimate

Most calculator mistakes come from the inputs, not the arithmetic. Use this short audit before you reuse the answer in a spreadsheet, quote, application, or important conversation.

Confirm source numbers

Match balances, rates, fees, taxes, income, and payment dates against the lender quote, payroll record, tax form, statement, invoice, or contract.

Separate cash flow from total cost

A lower monthly payment can still cost more over time if fees, interest, taxes, or a longer term are hidden in the structure.

Run conservative cases

Test at least one higher-cost or lower-return case before using the output for a purchase, refinance, investment, loan, or tax decision.

Rerun this page when the rate, price, term, fee, tax rule, income, expense, or expected holding period changes.

How to Use

Enter your current rent and the proposed renewal rent.
Enter the market rent for a comparable unit elsewhere.
Set the horizon (12 months is typical; use 24 if you'd sign a 2-year).
Enter new-place move-in costs: deposit, first month, last month, app fees.
Add moving, utility connect fees, and any lost wages for moving day.
Enter your current security deposit and realistic refund percentage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a renewal always cheaper than moving?

Not even close. If the landlord is asking $150+/month over market, moving typically pays off within 18 months. Conversely, a flat or below-market renewal is almost always a layup to accept — moving 1-2 days every year destroys any rent savings.

What's a fair renewal increase?

Most rent-control jurisdictions cap at 3-10% annually. In unregulated markets, 2-5% is benchmark for a rising market, 0-2% in flat markets. Anything above 10% above last year or market is the landlord counting on tenant inertia — those are the ones to negotiate or walk.

Can I negotiate the renewal?

Yes, and it usually works. Landlords spend $2,000-$4,000 on turnover (make-ready, lost rent, placement fees), so they'll accept a smaller renewal increase than the letter suggests. Counter in writing with a number anchored to market comps and a 2-year term in exchange for the lower rate.

Am I likely to get my whole deposit back when I move?

On average, 70-85% in most states — the standard deductions are cleaning, paint touch-up beyond normal wear, carpet if held under 5 years, and any damage above baseline. If you leave the unit broom-clean with photos documenting move-out condition, 90%+ is achievable in most jurisdictions.