Calculate straight line rent, total contract term, or sum of rent payments by entering any 2 of the 3 lease values for lease contracts.

Straight Line Rent Calculator

Enter any 2 values to calculate the missing variable

Straight Line Rent Formula

Straight line rent spreads the total rent cost evenly across the full lease term. Instead of using the actual payment due in each month, it calculates one average monthly rent amount for the contract period.

SLR = SRP / T
SRP = SLR * T
T = SRP / SLR
  • SLR = Straight line rent, in dollars per month
  • SRP = Sum of all rent payments over the contract, in dollars
  • T = Total contract term length, in months

The calculator uses the same relationship in three ways. If you enter the total rent payments and the lease term, it calculates the straight line rent per month. If you enter the straight line rent and the lease term, it calculates the total rent payments. If you enter the total rent payments and the straight line rent, it calculates the contract term length in months.

Common Lease Term Lengths in Months

Use this table to convert common lease terms into the month value used in the formula.

Lease Term Months to Enter
1 year 12
2 years 24
3 years 36
5 years 60
10 years 120

How Straight Line Rent Compares to Actual Rent Payments

Straight line rent is an average. It may not match the amount paid in a specific month when the lease has free rent, rent increases, or other uneven payment terms.

Lease Pattern Effect on Straight Line Rent
Same rent every month Straight line rent equals the monthly payment.
Free rent period Straight line rent is lower than the paid months because free months are included in the average.
Scheduled rent increases Straight line rent is the average of the lower early payments and higher later payments.
Uneven rent schedule Add all rent payments first, then divide by the total number of months.

Example

Example 1: Calculate straight line rent

You have a lease with total rent payments of $120,000 over 60 months.

SLR = SRP / T
SLR = 120000 / 60 = 2000

The straight line rent is $2,000 per month.

Example 2: Calculate total rent payments

You know the straight line rent is $3,500 per month and the lease term is 36 months.

SRP = SLR * T
SRP = 3500 * 36 = 126000

The sum of all rent payments is $126,000.

FAQ

What is straight line rent?

Straight line rent is the average rent amount recognized each month over the full lease term. It takes the total rent payments required by the lease and divides them evenly across all months in the contract.

Does straight line rent include free rent months?

Yes, if the free rent months are part of the lease term, they are included in the total contract term. The free months reduce the average monthly straight line rent because they add months without adding rent payments.

Is straight line rent the same as monthly cash rent?

Not always. Monthly cash rent is the amount actually paid in a specific month. Straight line rent is the average monthly rent over the full lease term. They are the same only when the rent payment is identical every month.