How Move-In to Move-Out Rent Is Calculated
When your tenancy doesn't line up neatly with calendar months, you shouldn't pay for days you don't occupy. This calculator charges you three ways, automatically: a prorated amount for your move-in month (from your move-in day to the end of that month), the full monthly rent for every complete month in between, and a prorated amount for your move-out month (from the 1st through your move-out day).
Each partial month uses the standard daily-rate method: monthly rent ÷ days in that specific month × days occupied, counting both your move-in day and your move-out day. A 31-day month has a lower daily rate than a 28-day February, and the calculator handles that automatically for each month in your stay.
A Quick Example
Say rent is $1,500 and you move in on January 20 and move out on March 10. January has 31 days, so you owe 12 days: $1,500 ÷ 31 × 12 = $580.65. February is a full month: $1,500. March: $1,500 ÷ 31 × 10 = $483.87. Total for the tenancy: $2,564.52 — exactly what the breakdown table above shows for your own dates.
Other Proration Methods Landlords Use
- Banker's month: some landlords always divide rent by 30, regardless of the actual month length. Results differ slightly in 28- and 31-day months.
- Annual method: (rent × 12 ÷ 365) × days occupied — more common in commercial leases.
- The method should be written into your lease. If it isn't, ask the landlord to confirm in writing before you sign or give notice.
Know Before You Move
Proration isn't automatic in most places — it's a lease term, not a law. Most landlords prorate move-in willingly; move-out proration usually depends on whether your lease allows mid-month termination and proper notice. Confirm when the prorated amounts are due, and remember that your security deposit is separate from rent — never treat the last month's prorated rent as "covered by the deposit" unless the lease says so.