Rent vs Buy Calculator
Enter your rent, home price, loan details and how long you plan to stay to compare the total cost of renting versus buying.
Rent vs Buy Calculator
Compare the total cost of renting versus buying a home over a specific number of years, accounting for mortgage payments, taxes, maintenance and home appreciation.
This calculator adds up the full cash cost of buying (down payment, mortgage payments, property tax and maintenance) minus the home's estimated future resale value, and compares that net cost to simply paying rent over the same period.
Example
- With the default values shown above, this calculator returns: Monthly Mortgage Payment ≈ USD 1,769.79; Total Cost of Renting ≈ USD 151,200.00; Total Cash Costs of Buying ≈ USD 270,112.40; Estimated Home Value When You Sell ≈ USD 430,455.85; Net Cost of Buying (after resale) ≈ USD -160,343.45; How Much Cheaper Buying Is (vs Renting) ≈ USD 311,543.45.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a positive result mean?
A positive 'How Much Cheaper Buying Is' figure means buying is estimated to cost less than renting over your chosen time horizon, after accounting for the home's resale value. A negative figure means renting works out cheaper.
What does this not account for?
It excludes selling costs (agent commissions), renter's insurance, income tax deductions on mortgage interest (where applicable), and the opportunity cost of investing the down payment elsewhere — all of which can shift the real answer.