How many customers do
you need to survive?
Enter your rent, staff setup, and average ticket. Get your exact daily break-even number — with a risk rating — in seconds. Free, no account needed.
Free tool · Based on real cost benchmarks · Not financial advice
How it works
The maths behind your daily customer target
The calculator uses real Australian cost benchmarks for staffing and overheads, then works backwards from your fixed costs to find the minimum daily customers you need to cover them.
Enter your fixed costs
Monthly rent is entered directly. Staff costs come from real payroll benchmarks for your setup. Overheads cover utilities, insurance, and miscellaneous — calibrated per business type.
Calculate contribution margin
Every sale contributes a slice toward your fixed costs. Contribution margin is average ticket minus COGS — the dollars each customer puts toward covering rent, staff and overhead.
Find your break-even
Divide total monthly fixed costs by contribution margin per customer. Divide again by 30 days. That is the daily number you need through the door.
Risk-rate the result
We compare your break-even against real foot traffic benchmarks. Under 30/day is achievable anywhere. Over 100/day requires a high-traffic inner-city location or a fundamentally different model.
Why this matters
Most operators sign leases without knowing their number
Rent looks affordable until you run the numbers. A $5,000/month café lease with realistic staffing can require 127+ customers per day once staff and overheads are added. This tool shows you that number before you sign.
Rent is just the start
Staff costs often exceed rent. Two full-time staff at a café cost $9,500/month — nearly doubling your fixed burden before a single coffee is sold.
Low tickets are dangerous
A $5 average ticket leaves only ~$3 of margin at 40% COGS. You need three times as many customers as a business running a $15 average ticket.
Know your target first
Once you have your daily break-even number, every location decision becomes a clear question: can this street actually deliver that customer volume?
Buffer matters as much as break-even
Breaking even at 95% of typical volume leaves no room for slow weeks or seasonality. A good location gives you headroom above break-even.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What does "break-even" actually mean here?
Break-even is the point where revenue exactly covers fixed costs — rent, staff and overheads. Below that number you lose money every day. This tool gives the minimum daily customer count to reach the line.
Why 30 days per month?
Locatalyze reports use a 30-day calendar model, so this tool stays on the same maths. If you trade fewer days, your true daily bar is higher.
Are the staff cost estimates accurate?
Staff figures are mid-range Australian operating costs for the format. Adjust if you are owner-operated with light help. They are estimates, not a payroll quote.
What is COGS and how do I estimate mine?
COGS is the direct cost of each sale. Café food-and-drink is often 30–35%. Gyms and salons are usually lower because the product is a service.
My break-even looks very high. What should I do?
Three levers: lower rent, lower staff costs, or lift average ticket. A Locatalyze report then checks whether the address can deliver the foot traffic the maths need.
How is this different from the Business Viability Checker?
Viability screens the suburb. This tool screens your cost structure. Use both: numbers first, then suburb fit.
Know your number. Now check if the suburb can hit it.
A Locatalyze report estimates demand and competitor pressure for your exact address — so you can see whether the street can realistically deliver your daily customer target before you sign.