About the Lease Break Cost Calculator
Breaking a rental lease rarely means owing every remaining month of rent, but it is rarely free either. This calculator lines up the four realistic ways out of a residential lease — paying out the remaining rent, using an early-termination (buyout) clause, moving out and letting the landlord re-rent the unit, or finding a subtenant — and shows what each would cost you.
Use it when a job move, a house purchase or a change in your household means you need to leave before the lease ends. Enter your rent, months left and the terms in your lease, plus a realistic guess at how long the unit or a sublet would sit empty in your local market.
The "walk away" option assumes the landlord makes reasonable efforts to re-rent, which most US states require under the duty to mitigate damages, so you owe rent only until a new tenant moves in plus re-letting costs. A few states do not impose that duty, and some leases or local laws add notice periods or protections (for example for military orders or domestic violence), so read your lease and local rules before deciding.
With the default inputs, the cheapest way out is $2,700.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the lease break cost calculator
- 1Enter your monthly rent and how many months remain on the lease.
- 2Check your lease for an early-termination clause and enter its fee.
- 3Estimate how long the landlord would take to re-rent and any re-letting charges.
- 4Enter the rent a subtenant would pay and how long finding one might take.
- 5Compare the options and confirm the cheapest one is allowed by your lease.
Formula and method
Paying out the lease costs every remaining month of rent. An early-termination clause usually charges a set number of months of rent, sometimes plus a flat fee, and ends your obligation. If you simply move out and the landlord has a duty to mitigate, you owe rent only for the months until a replacement tenant starts, plus reasonable re-letting costs.
With a sublet you pay full rent while the unit is empty, then only the shortfall between your rent and what the subtenant pays for the rest of the lease. The calculator does not include moving costs or rent at your next home, because you pay those whichever option you choose.
- R
- Monthly rent
- M
- Months left on the lease
- f, F
- Fee in months of rent and flat fee
- V, C
- Months until re-rented and re-letting costs
- S, Rs
- Months before a subtenant starts and their rent
Worked examples
$1,800 apartment with 7 months left
Paying out costs 7 × $1,800 = $12,600. The two-month fee is $3,600, walking away costs 2 months of rent plus $300 = $3,900, and subletting costs one empty month ($1,800) plus a $150 shortfall for 6 months ($900) = $2,700 — the cheapest route.
Hot market where units re-rent fast
If the landlord can re-rent within a month, you owe $2,400 plus $400 of costs = $2,800. The termination clause would cost $5,300, and a sublet at $2,000 with two empty months would cost $4,800 + $400 × 8 = $8,000.
Short time left and a weak sublet market
With only 3 months left, the $3,000 two-month termination fee beats subletting ($3,000 of empty months + $600 shortfall = $3,600) and walking away ($4,500 + $250 because the unit would sit empty for the rest of the lease).
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to break a lease?+
Commonly one to two months of rent if your lease has an early-termination clause. Without one, you typically owe rent until the landlord re-rents the unit plus advertising or leasing costs, and at most the rent for the rest of the term.
Does my landlord have to re-rent my apartment if I break the lease?+
In most US states landlords have a legal duty to mitigate damages by making reasonable efforts to find a new tenant, and they cannot collect double rent. A minority of states do not impose this duty, so check your state’s landlord-tenant law.
Can I break a lease without penalty?+
Often yes for specific reasons: the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act lets active-duty members end a lease after receiving PCS or deployment orders, and many states allow it for domestic violence victims, uninhabitable conditions or landlord harassment.
Is subletting better than breaking a lease?+
Subletting can be cheapest when demand is strong, but you need the landlord’s consent in most leases and remain responsible for rent and damage if the subtenant defaults. A lease assignment, where the new tenant takes over the lease, can end your liability entirely.
Will breaking a lease hurt my credit?+
Breaking a lease is not reported to credit bureaus by itself. Damage happens only if unpaid rent or fees are sent to collections or a landlord wins a court judgment, so pay agreed amounts and get the settlement in writing.
Results are general estimates and not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction — consult a qualified attorney.