Rent vs Buy Calculator
See whether renting or buying wins over time — with a break-even chart.
Buying
Renting & investing
A renter invests the down payment + closing costs upfront, plus any month the cost of owning is higher than rent.
After years, you come out ahead by After years, the gap is only
0
🏠 Buying wins 🔑 Renting & investing wins 🤝 It's basically a tie
Net worth over time
Tap or hover the chart to inspect any year.
▸ Full cost breakdown
| 🏠 Buying | |
| Monthly mortgage (P&I) | |
| Upfront cash (down + closing) | |
| Total interest paid (over horizon) | |
| Tax + maintenance + insurance | |
| Home value at year | |
| Mortgage balance remaining | |
| 🔑 Renting | |
| Total rent paid (over horizon) | |
| Final monthly rent | |
| Invested contributions | |
| Investment gains | |
Estimates only — ignores taxes on gains/deductions & isn't financial advice.
Why you’ll love Rent vs Buy Calculator
Instant & free
No signup, no paywall, no limits — Rent vs Buy Calculator works the moment the page loads.
Completely private
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is ever uploaded or stored on a server.
Works on any device
Fully responsive and touch-friendly — use it on your phone, tablet or desktop.
Accurate & clear
Built on the real formulas, with a breakdown you can actually trust.
How to use it
Open it
No download and no login — the tool is ready right at the top of this page.
Use it
Enter your details or start interacting. Everything updates live as you go.
Get your result
Copy, download or share your result in a single tap. That’s it.
About Rent vs Buy Calculator
Use this rent vs buy calculator to compare the true costs of renting and buying a property over time. Enter your purchase price, down payment, mortgage details, rental costs, and property expenses—then see exactly when buying breaks even. A clear break-even chart shows you the long-term financial picture, helping answer the question: should I buy a house, or keep renting?
Buying and renting have hidden costs that aren't obvious at first glance. This calculator factors in mortgage interest, property taxes, maintenance, insurance, and rising rent, then stacks them against each other year by year. The break-even chart makes it simple to see when your cumulative home-buying costs drop below what you'd have spent renting instead.
No sign-up required—just enter your numbers and get instant results. Your data stays on your device and is never sent anywhere. Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, relocating, or just curious about your housing options, this tool gives you the clarity to make an informed decision about one of life's biggest financial choices.
Popular uses
Frequently asked questions
As accurate as your inputs. The calculator uses straightforward math based on the numbers you provide—mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, maintenance, rent, and appreciation. It doesn't predict future market changes or unknown life events, but it shows you the financial relationship between renting and buying under the conditions you specify.
The big financial ones are break-even timeline, down payment you can afford, how long you'll stay, local property appreciation, and maintenance costs. Non-financial factors matter too: flexibility to move, willingness to maintain a property, and how stable your income is. This calculator handles the math; you handle the rest.
That's your break-even point—the year when your total buying costs (mortgage, taxes, maintenance, insurance) drop below your total renting costs. The break-even chart shows this visually. It typically ranges from 3–10 years depending on home prices, rent levels, interest rates, and how much you put down.
Yes. The calculator works anywhere because you input your own costs—purchase price, property taxes, maintenance rates, and rent. If you know (or can estimate) these numbers for your location, the comparison is valid. Accuracy depends on your estimates, not on the calculator's location settings.
Rent vs Buy Calculator is 100% free — no signup, no watermarks and no usage limits. It’s one of 200+ free tools we build and give away.
It uses the standard formulas and shows its working, so you can verify every number. For big decisions, treat the result as a reliable estimate.
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