Puts a gross lease’s all-in rent side by side against a net lease’s total cost, since base rent numbers alone aren’t directly comparable across the two structures.
How it works
Gross rent per square foot times square footage gives the gross lease total cost. Net lease base rent plus pass-throughs, per square foot, times square footage, gives the net lease total cost — the same computation as this site’s triple-net-lease calculator.
What this does not include
This compares total occupancy cost in the first year of a lease only — many leases include annual escalations (covered by this site’s separate rent-escalation calculator) that would need to be modeled year by year for a full multi-year comparison.
How to use this calculator
- Enter square footage, the gross lease rate, and the net lease’s base rent and pass-throughs.
Frequently asked questions
Why can’t gross and net lease rates be compared directly?
A net lease’s advertised base rent excludes pass-through costs (taxes, insurance, CAM) that the tenant pays separately — comparing base rent numbers alone understates the net lease’s true total cost.
Which lease type gives more cost certainty?
A gross lease generally offers more predictable, fixed costs, since the landlord absorbs fluctuations in taxes, insurance, and maintenance; a net lease shifts that variability directly onto the tenant.
Does a lower total cost always mean a better deal?
Not necessarily — lease structure also affects who bears risk from rising operating costs over time, a consideration beyond the single-year total-cost comparison this calculator provides.
