Rent vs Buy Calculator
Which is cheaper over the years you plan to stay.
Enter your values
Enter the monthly rent in $.
Enter the home price in $.
Enter the down payment in $.
Enter the mortgage rate in %.
Enter the years you will stay in years.
Enter the home appreciation per year in %.
Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed. Your values are remembered on this device, and the shareable link reopens the calculator with exactly these numbers.
- Cheaper option
- Buying
- Total cost of renting
- $173,040.00
- Net cost of owning
- $132,799.29
- Estimated home value at sale
- $491,949.55
- Equity at sale
- $202,617.56
Quick answer
Buying beats renting once appreciation and equity outweigh the interest, tax, maintenance and transaction costs of ownership — usually after five or more years.
At a glance
| What it does | Which is cheaper over the years you plan to stay. |
|---|---|
| Category | Finance |
| Inputs needed | Monthly rent, Home price, Down payment, Mortgage rate, Years you will stay, Home appreciation per year |
| Main output | Cheaper option |
| Cost | Free — no sign-up, no download |
How to use the Rent vs Buy Calculator
- 1Enter your current rent and the price of the home.
- 2Add down payment, rate and how long you will stay.
- 3Compare the two totals.
Inputs explained
- Monthly rent($)
- Enter the monthly rent in $.
- Home price($)
- Enter the home price in $.
- Down payment($)
- Enter the down payment in $.
- Mortgage rate(%)
- Enter the mortgage rate in %.
- Years you will stay(years)
- Enter the years you will stay in years.
- Home appreciation per year(%)
- Enter the home appreciation per year in %.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Monthly rent2000 $
- Home price400000 $
- Down payment80000 $
- Mortgage rate6.5 %
- Years you will stay7 years
- Home appreciation per year3 %
Results
- Cheaper optionBuying
- Total cost of renting$173,040.00
- Net cost of owning$132,799.29
- Estimated home value at sale$491,949.55
- Equity at sale$202,617.56
Frequently asked questions
What is the break-even point?
Typically five to seven years, because closing and selling costs of roughly 8–10% need time for appreciation and equity to absorb.
Are maintenance costs included?
Yes, at 2% of the home value per year, which covers repairs, insurance and property tax as a blended estimate.
What do I need to enter into the Rent vs Buy Calculator?
Just 6 values: monthly rent, home price, down payment, mortgage rate, years you will stay, home appreciation per year. Every field starts with a realistic example, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result update instantly.
How does the Rent vs Buy Calculator work out the answer?
Buying beats renting once appreciation and equity outweigh the interest, tax, maintenance and transaction costs of ownership — usually after five or more years. The working is shown step by step so you can verify the result by hand.
Is the Rent vs Buy Calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free with no sign-up, no download and no usage limit. Everything is calculated in your browser, so the numbers you type never leave your device.
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.