Bouldering Gym Break-Even: About $62K Monthly Revenue

Fixed costs $47.7K/mo Committed overhead

Contribution margin 82% After variable costs

Break-even revenue $58.2K/mo Monthly target

Break-even timing Month 18 Model breakeven

Break-even calculator

Use this to test how monthly revenue, variable expenses, and fixed overhead drive the gym's break-even point.

Lean Base Full

Monthly revenue Revenue is the cash coming in before fixed costs. $ Low sales High sales Variable expenses These are costs that rise with sales, like setting supplies, fees, and workshop materials. $ Light costs Heavy costs

Money available to cover fixed costs $49,300 $58,000 revenue - $8,700 variable expenses

Margin ratio

85%

Covers fixed costs

Yes

Fixed monthly costs This is the monthly overhead your contribution margin has to cover. $ Low overhead High overhead

Break-even chart Revenue Total costs

Which bouldering gym expenses are fixed, and which move with sales?

Cost classification

Your Month 18 break-even is only as reliable as the split between fixed, variable, semi-variable, and semi-fixed expenses. Misclassifying cleaning, staffing steps, or rental gear wear can understate the revenue needed to cover the $15,000 rent base.

Expense	Cost	Break-Even Treatment	Common Mistake
Facility Rent	Fixed	Use $15,000 per month in the fixed overhead base from Month 1 through Month 60.	Spreading rent by visit and hiding the true monthly nut.
Gym Manager and Lead Route Setter	Fixed	Include base salaries as fixed payroll because each role stays at 1.0 FTE across all five years.	Treating route-setting labor as fully flexible when the core setter is staffed regardless of sales.
Front Desk Staff and Climbing Instructor	Semi-fixed	Model payroll in staffing steps as FTE rises with scale, not as a straight percent of revenue.	Missing the jump when coverage needs increase before revenue catches up.
Utilities	Semi-variable	Start with the $3,500 monthly base, then pressure-test usage as visits and operating hours rise.	Keeping utilities flat even when more climbers drive higher lighting, HVAC, and water use.
Cleaning Services	Semi-variable	Use the $2,000 monthly base, then add service increases when traffic makes cleaning more frequent.	Treating cleaning as fully fixed despite chalk, sweat, bathrooms, and mat traffic rising with volume.
Climbing Holds & Setting Supplies	Variable	Apply 8% of revenue in the first year, declining to 6% by the mature year.	Budgeting holds like a one-time purchase instead of ongoing wear and reset demand.
Gear Rental Maintenance & Replacement	Variable	Apply 5% of revenue in the first year, declining to 4% by the mature year.	Treating rental gear wear as fully fixed when shoes and gear age with use.
Payment Processing Fees	Variable	Apply 3% of revenue in the first year, improving to 2.5% by the mature year.	Forgetting that card fees rise with every membership, pass, class, and rental sale.

How does break-even change across lean, base, and full bouldering gym scenarios?

Scenario table

The break-even line moves mainly with revenue because variable costs stay at 18% in every case. At $45,000 revenue the gym misses break-even by about $14.1k, at $62,235 it lands on it, and at $85,000 it clears about $18.7k.

Planning assumptions only; actual break-even can shift with staffing, attendance, and pricing mix.

Scenario	Monthly Revenue	Variable Costs	Fixed Costs	CM Ratio	Operating Profit	Break-Even Signal
Lean opening ramp	$45,000	$8,100	$51,033	82%	-$14,133	Opening demand still burns cash.
Base lease case	$62,235	$11,202	$51,033	82%	$0	Underwrites the lease if demand holds.
Full stabilized case	$85,000	$15,300	$51,033	82%	$18,667	Creates a solid monthly cushion.

What breaks the break-even plan for a bouldering gym?

Stress test

This gym is almost at break-even in the base case, so small hits matter. A 10% sales dip, higher rent or payroll, or a 5-point margin squeeze each push the model back into loss, and the combined case opens a wider cash hole.

Stress Case	Changed Assumption	Break-Even Revenue	Revenue Gap	Risk Signal
Current plan	No change.	$62,235	$0 cushion	Barely at break-even; no buffer.
Revenue shortfall	Revenue falls 10% to $56,012.	$62,235	$5,104 gap	Weak membership conversion can push it back into loss.
Fixed-cost increase	Fixed costs rise 10% to $56,136.	$68,459	$6,224 gap	Added payroll or rent needs more top-line.
Margin pressure	Variable expenses rise 5 points to 23%.	$66,277	$4,042 gap	Cleaning, gear, or setting costs eat the cushion.
Combined pressure	Revenue falls 10%, fixed costs rise 10%, and variable expenses rise 5 points.	$72,905	$13,007 gap	Small hits stack fast and widen the cash hole.

Can this bouldering gym clear break-even before you sign the lease and start the buildout?

Founder checklist

Test the lease and buildout against the $62,200 monthly break-even target before you commit. If pre-sales, pricing, staffing, and cash don’t support that number, delay the lease or cut the scope.

1Demand Test$62.2K/mo

Get pre-lease sign-ups near the $62,200 monthly target before you sign, because weak early demand makes the lease and buildout hard to recover.

2Price Fit$80 / $25

Check that local climbers will pay $80 for a monthly membership and $25 for a day pass, since price miss shows up fast in a small-format gym.

3Fixed Load$18.5K/mo

Confirm the site can absorb $15,000 rent plus $3,500 utilities, or $18,500 a month, because this fixed load starts on day one.

4Buildout Scope$600K

Make sure the $600,000 buildout fits the opening plan, including walls, crash pads, flooring, HVAC, rental gear, and IT, or you can run out of cash before launch.

5Margin & Staff82% CM

Hold Year 1 payroll near $23,750 a month, including route-setting labor, and preserve the 82% contribution margin after 8% holds, 5% gear upkeep, 3% payment fees, and 2% workshop materials, or break-even slips.

6Cash Runway$38K

Keep runway for the $273,000 Year 1 EBITDA loss and the $38,000 cash trough in Month 18, and slow hiring or buildout if pre-sales lag.