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Rent vs Buy Calculator
Free rent vs buy calculator: compare buying a home (mortgage, property tax, upkeep, closing and selling costs, home value growth) with renting and investing the difference, over the years you plan to stay.
Buying
Renting
Renting comes out ahead by
$22,370
| Mortgage payment (principal + interest) | $2,022.62 a month |
| Buyer's net worth after 7 years | $173,101 |
| Renter's net worth after 7 years | $195,470 |
| Total spent owning | $247,745 |
| Total rent paid | $202,289 |
It compares what each would have at the end: the buyer has the home's value minus the loan and selling costs; the renter invests the down payment and, each month, the difference between owning costs and rent. Short stays usually favor renting because of the costs of buying and selling.
Ignores tax breaks, PMI and tax on investment gains. Not legal, tax or financial advice. 🔒 Everything stays on your device.
📚 Official sources: CFPB: owning a home
We build every tool from the official rules and re-check them when they change. Always confirm with the official source before you rely on a result.
🛠️ Spotted a mistake or an out-of-date rule? Tell us
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Questions people ask
Is it better to rent or buy?+
It depends mostly on how long you stay, rent compared with the home price, mortgage rates and home price growth. Buying usually needs 5+ years to beat renting.
What is the price-to-rent ratio?+
Home price ÷ yearly rent. Above about 20, renting often makes more sense; below 15, buying often does.