Modular home as an investment — the real numbers
A 38 m² modular home can be bought for €12,200–€14,400 including installation and transport, and rented out for €560–€1,780 per month depending on the rental model and location. Below is the full profitability breakdown for three typical investment scenarios.
Scenario 1: Long-term rental (residential)
Investment
- 38 m² Standard home (year-round version, 100 mm PIR): €13,300
- Transport from Gdynia/Reda (example: near Poznań, 305 km): €1,350
- Installation: €1,100
- Foundation (concrete blocks): €670
- Utility connections (electricity, water, septic tank): €2,670
- Furniture and appliances (mattress, sofa, table, kitchen equipment): €1,780
Total investment: €20,900 (assuming you already own the plot or budget it separately)
Revenue and costs
- Monthly rent: €560/month (rural area) up to €1,000 (suburbs of a large city)
- Annual revenue: €6,700 – €12,000
- Annual costs: property tax (€45–90), insurance (€135), furniture depreciation (€335), 1-month vacancy (€560 – €1,000)
- Annual costs: approx. €1,100 – €1,560
Return on investment
Annual net: €5,100 – €10,450 → payback period 25–41 months (2–3.5 years). This is very strong profitability compared with an apartment in a big city, where payback typically takes 15–20 years.
Scenario 2: Short-term rental (Airbnb, Booking.com)
Investment
Similar to Scenario 1, but with a higher finish:
- 38 m² Standard home + finish upgrade: €14,400
- Transport, installation, foundation, utility connections: €5,800
- Premium furnishings (design pieces, sound system, air conditioning, garden hot tub): €5,550
Total investment: €25,800
Revenue and costs (location: Kashubia, Masuria, Bieszczady Mountains)
- Average nightly rate: €90/night (€100–135 in peak season, €55–80 off-season)
- Annual occupancy rate: 60–75% (220–275 nights)
- Annual gross revenue: €19,600 – €24,500
- Platform commissions (Airbnb 3%, Booking.com 15%): €2,700 – €3,350
- Cleaning (one stay = one cleaning at €22): €2,670
- Utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet): €1,335
- Maintenance, small repairs, linen replacement: €1,110
Return on investment
Annual net: €11,800 – €16,000 → payback period 18–26 months (1.5–2 years). Higher profitability than long-term rental, but also higher operational demands (guest management, cleaning, marketing).
Scenario 3: Hybrid rental (glamping / micro-resort)
Concept
3–5 modular homes on a single plot as a mini-resort. Shared amenities: sauna, hot tub, fire pit, garden with hammocks. Weekly rentals for couples and families, corporate retreats during the week.
Investment (5 × 38 m² Standard homes)
- 5 × home + transport + installation + finish: €111,100
- Shared infrastructure (paths, lighting, sauna, hot tub): €33,300
- Marketing, brand, website, photo/video: €6,700
Total investment: €151,100 (excluding land cost)
Revenue
- Rate: €135/night per cabin (average), 250 nights per year × 5 cabins
- Annual revenue: €166,700
- Operating costs (staff, utilities, marketing, commissions): €66,700
- Net: €100,000
Payback
Payback in about 18 months. Risks: seasonality, need to hire staff, marketing. But scale allows for professionalisation and brand building.
Which locations are the most profitable?
Short-term (Airbnb, glamping)
- Kashubia (Wdzydze Kiszewskie, Chmielno) — strong summer season plus winter weekends
- Masuria (near Mikołajki, Ryn) — 5-month peak season
- Bieszczady Mountains (near Cisna, Lutowiska) — the rising "quiet retreat" trend
- Coastal areas (off the main beach strip — Darżlubska Forest, Karwia) — cheaper plots than Sopot or Międzyzdroje
Long-term
- Suburbs of large cities (Gdańsk, Poznań, Wrocław, Kraków) — no affordable apartments in the city itself
- Industrial towns (areas with large factories or logistics hubs)
- University cities (Toruń, Lublin, Rzeszów) — student rental market
Investment risks — what you should know
- Seasonality (Airbnb): occupancy from November to February can drop to 30–40%. When calculating annual returns, use the average, not the peak.
- Regulatory changes: from 2025 some municipalities have introduced a tourist tax for short-term rentals. Check the local rules.
- Competition: in hotspots (Masuria, Kashubia) the number of glamping sites is growing. Differentiate with quality, brand and extras.
- Depreciation: a PIR/steel modular home has a lifespan of 30–40 years, but interior finishes need refreshing every 5 years.
- Taxes: short-term rental counts as business activity. It requires company registration, 8%/23% VAT and a cash register.
Summary
A modular home for rental is one of the best return-to-risk ratios on the Polish real-estate market — provided the location is right and the calculation is realistic. A 1.5–3.5 year payback beats every residential investment. The key factors are: (a) location, (b) finish tailored to the target guest, (c) hands-on management or a systemised rental process.
We're happy to run a specific scenario for your plot together — get in touch.
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