Coin Laundromat Investment & ROI Calculator for 2026

Model a coin laundromat investment — startup costs, machine revenue, utilities, and financing — to estimate cash flow, cash-on-cash return, and payback period.

Mathematical Audit

How Coin Laundromat Investment & ROI Is Calculated

The calculator converts washer count, vend pricing, and daily turns into monthly revenue, layers on dryer and ancillary income, subtracts operating costs and loan debt service, then expresses the result as cash flow, cash-on-cash return, and payback period on the cash actually invested.

Total Startup Cost = Equipment Cost + Buildout Cost + Initial Cash Reserve
Cash Invested = Total Startup Cost × Down Payment %
Monthly Loads = Washer Count × Turns per Day × Days Open per Month
Monthly Wash Revenue = Monthly Loads × Avg Vend Price per Load
Monthly Revenue = Wash Revenue + Dryer Revenue + Ancillary Revenue
Monthly Operating Cost = Rent + Utilities + Maintenance + Insurance + Labor + Other Overhead
Monthly Cash Flow = (Revenue − Operating Cost) − Monthly Loan Debt Service
Cash-on-Cash Return % = Annual Cash Flow ÷ Cash Invested × 100
Payback Period (Years) = Cash Invested ÷ Annual Cash Flow

Utility costs (water, gas, electric) are modeled as a percentage of total revenue since they typically run 20-30% of gross income and are the largest variable expense in a laundromat, especially with older, less efficient machines. Dryer revenue is expressed as a percentage of wash revenue and ancillary revenue (vending, change machines, wash-and-fold) as a percentage of combined wash/dry revenue, since both scale with washer throughput rather than being set independently.

Operational Guide

How to Use the Coin Laundromat Investment & ROI Calculator

1

Enter startup investment

Input equipment cost (washers and dryers), buildout/renovation cost, and an initial cash reserve for working capital.

2

Set your financing terms

Enter the down payment percentage you'll pay in cash versus finance, plus the loan interest rate and term for the remaining balance.

3

Enter machine count and vend pricing

Set your washer count, average vend price per wash load, turns per washer per day (3 is the industry benchmark, 4+ is a strong store), and days open per month.

4

Add dryer and ancillary revenue assumptions

Set dryer revenue as a percentage of wash revenue and ancillary income (vending, wash-and-fold, change machines) as a percentage of combined machine revenue.

5

Enter monthly operating costs

Input rent, utility cost as a percentage of revenue, maintenance reserve percentage, insurance, and attendant labor cost if the store is staffed.

6

Review your investment results

See monthly cash flow, annual cash flow, cash-on-cash return %, payback period, and net profit margin, plus a chart of the monthly cost structure.

Real-World Scenario Example

"An investor buys a 25-washer coin laundromat for $220,000 in equipment plus $90,000 buildout and a $25,000 cash reserve ($335,000 total), financing 75% at 9.5% over 10 years. Machines average 3.5 turns/day at a $4.25 vend price, open 30 days/month, with dryer revenue at 65% of wash revenue and 6% ancillary revenue. Monthly costs are $4,500 rent, 24% utilities, 5% maintenance reserve, $450 insurance, a $3,200 attendant, and $500 other overhead."

Inputs

equipmentCost:220000
buildoutCost:90000
initialCashReserve:25000
downPaymentPercent:25
loanInterestRate:9.5
loanTermYears:10
washerCount:25
avgVendPricePerLoad:4.25
turnsPerDayPerWasher:3.5
daysOpenPerMonth:30

Result

Monthly revenue of $19,512 generates $5,204 in net operating income; after $3,251 in monthly loan payments, cash flow is $1,953/month ($23,431/year) — a 28% cash-on-cash return on the $83,750 cash invested, with a 3.6-year payback period and a 26.7% net profit margin.

Important Disclaimer

These calculations are estimates for planning purposes only and do not replace a full financial or legal review of a specific laundromat opportunity. Actual equipment costs, utility rates, financing terms, and revenue per machine vary significantly by region, store size, and competition — consult a laundromat industry accountant, broker, or lender before making an investment decision.