When there’s a choice between low rent and higher rent, it’s usually best to opt for low rent unless there’s a compelling reason to shell out more money. The higher your COS expectancy is, the lower the workable % of your rent. High COS locations should aim for 5-10% In general, it would be safe in entertainment to have rent of up to 18% To calculate the above % Use the following: Divide your annual rent by your anticipated revenue. Suppose you’re looking at a space that rents for $2,000 a month. That translates into $24,000 per year. If you expect to make $150,000 in the same year, the ratio is .16, or 16 percent. Make sure you understand that you will need to pay a substantial deposit of a few months of their rent.  In terms of lease terms, generally, 3-3-3-3-3 is a good lease to aim for, but in any case having a total lease of at least 15 years, broken over as small terms as possible is certainly the best option. Unless you can be 100% certain of the success of your location, signing a lease for more than 5 years in the initial term is risky.