Rent or Buy Calculator

Compare renting vs buying: monthly costs, total payments, and equity over time. Enter rent, home price, financing, and assumptions.

Use the Rent or Buy Calculator

Compare renting vs buying. Enter rent, home price, financing, and assumptions. Monthly costs and total payments are compared.

Rent

Monthly rent ($)

Rent growth (%/year)

Buy

Home price ($)

Down payment ($)

APR (%)

Loan term (years)

Property tax ($/mo)

Insurance ($/mo)

Maintenance (% of price/year)

Home appreciation (%/year)

Comparison period (years)

Results

Monthly rent cost

$2,500

Monthly buy cost

$2,906

Total rent paid over period

$161,617

Total buy payments over period

$174,357

Estimated home value at horizon

$463,710

Down payment (sunk)

$80,000

Rent: total paid over 5 years. Buy: monthly P&I + tax + insurance + maintenance. Home value assumes appreciation. Consider transaction costs, flexibility, and tax benefits.

How this calculator works

Enter monthly rent, home price, down payment, loan terms, property costs, and assumptions (rent growth, appreciation, investment return). Compare total rent paid vs buy costs over your chosen period.

How to interpret your results

Lower monthly buy cost can favor buying if you stay long enough. Consider transaction costs, flexibility, and tax benefits (e.g. mortgage interest deduction).

FAQs

Should I rent or buy?▾

Depends on local prices, how long you plan to stay, and personal flexibility. This calculator helps compare monthly and total costs.

What is included in buy cost?▾

Mortgage principal and interest, property tax, insurance, and maintenance. Excludes closing costs, HOA, and tax deductions.

How does appreciation affect the result?▾

Higher home appreciation favors buying. The calculator estimates future home value and equity.

Related tools

Browse all calculators on NetGrow.

Use the Rent or Buy Calculator

Compare renting vs buying. Enter rent, home price, financing, and assumptions. Monthly costs and total payments are compared.

Rent

Monthly rent ($)

Rent growth (%/year)

Buy

Home price ($)

Down payment ($)

APR (%)

Loan term (years)

Property tax ($/mo)

Insurance ($/mo)

Maintenance (% of price/year)

Home appreciation (%/year)

Comparison period (years)

Results

Monthly rent cost

$2,500

Monthly buy cost

$2,906

Total rent paid over period

$161,617

Total buy payments over period

$174,357

Estimated home value at horizon

$463,710

Down payment (sunk)

$80,000

Rent: total paid over 5 years. Buy: monthly P&I + tax + insurance + maintenance. Home value assumes appreciation. Consider transaction costs, flexibility, and tax benefits.

FAQs

Should I rent or buy?▾

Depends on local prices, how long you plan to stay, and personal flexibility. This calculator helps compare monthly and total costs.

What is included in buy cost?▾

Mortgage principal and interest, property tax, insurance, and maintenance. Excludes closing costs, HOA, and tax deductions.

How does appreciation affect the result?▾

Higher home appreciation favors buying. The calculator estimates future home value and equity.