Overview
What Is a Rent vs Buy Calculator?
This tool provides a simplified comparison of total costs over a set number of years for renting versus buying a home.
Compare the cost of renting versus buying.
This tool provides a simplified comparison of total costs over a set number of years for renting versus buying a home.
Useful as a starting point for this major financial decision, though many other factors matter too.
Input what you'd pay to rent.
Input the purchase price, down payment, and rate.
Input how many years you're comparing.
Total costs for each option update automatically.
No, this is a simplified cost comparison - actual buying decisions should factor in potential appreciation, which varies by market.
No, homeownership includes maintenance costs not captured in this basic comparison - budget separately for these.
Not necessarily - it depends on your specific market, how long you'll stay, and opportunity cost of your down payment.
No, mortgage interest deduction and other tax factors aren't included in this basic comparison.
This varies significantly by market and individual circumstances - there's no universal answer.
This basic tool doesn't include insurance - factor this into your own more detailed analysis.
No, calculations happen entirely in your browser.
No, this simplified version doesn't factor in what that down payment could have earned if invested elsewhere.
Yes, a financial advisor can help factor in your complete financial picture beyond this simplified estimate.
Yes, completely free with no sign-up required.