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What Is a Good Rental Yield?

A gross rental yield of around 3–5% is typical for residential property in many Indian cities, and anything above roughly 5% is generally considered good. Yield is the annual rent expressed as a percentage of the property's value, so a higher figure means stronger rental income relative to price.

By Aarav Mehta, CFA, MBA Finance · Updated Jun 2026 · 1 min read

What is a good rental yield? A gross rental yield of around 3–5% is typical for residential property in many Indian cities, and anything above roughly 5% is generally considered good. Yield is the annual rent expressed as a percentage of the property's value, so a higher figure means stronger rental income relative to price.

Rental yield shows how hard your property works as an income asset — the annual rent as a percentage of what the property is worth. It lets you compare very different properties on a level footing.

Rental yield ranges

Rental yieldRatingWhat it means
Above 5%GoodStrong rental income relative to price.
3–5%TypicalCommon for residential property in big cities.
2–3%LowIncome is modest; you are banking on price growth.
Below 2%WeakRent barely covers costs; review the investment.

What affects your rental yield

  • Purchase price — a lower price lifts the yield
  • Monthly rent — higher achievable rent raises yield
  • Location — rental demand and price levels vary widely
  • Maintenance and costs — net yield is lower than gross
  • Vacancy — empty months reduce real income

How to improve it

  • Compare net yield (after costs), not just gross
  • Look at areas with strong rental demand
  • Negotiate the purchase price — it drives yield directly
  • Keep vacancy low with good tenants and upkeep

Work out your own numbers — the Rental Yield Calculator does it instantly, for free, with the formula and a worked example built in.

Continue exploring real estate calculators with these tools: Down Payment Percentage Calculator, Property Management Fee Calculator, Stamp Duty Calculator, Real Estate Commission Calculator, Price Per Acre Calculator.

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Frequently asked questions

In many Indian cities a gross yield above about 5% is considered good for residential property, with 3–5% being typical. Commercial property often yields more but carries different risks.

Gross yield is annual rent divided by property value. Net yield subtracts running costs like maintenance, taxes and vacancy, so it reflects what you actually keep — always check net yield before investing.

What Is a Good Cap Rate?

For rental property, a capitalisation (cap) rate of roughly 5–10% is generally considered good, with many investors targeting around 8%. A higher cap rate means more income relative to price — but often more risk. What's 'good' depends on the market and property type.

1 min read

Aarav Mehta · CFA, MBA Finance

Aarav reviews every finance formula on CalcHub for accuracy.