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Debt & Housing

Mortgage vs Rent

Compare the real cost of buying against renting over the years you plan to stay, counting equity, appreciation, and the opportunity cost of your down payment.
Buying Saves You
$0
Net advantage over the period
Net Cost of Buying
$0
After equity and appreciation
Net Cost of Renting
$0
Rent plus down payment growth
Cumulative Net Cost Over Time
💡 The Verdict
Estimates only. Assumes taxes and upkeep near 1.5% of price a year, home appreciation near 3% a year, rent growth near 3% a year, and the down payment invested at 7%. Your results will vary.
🏛 Predictable Income

Mortgage vs Rent Calculator

This calculator settles the buy versus rent question with the numbers that actually matter, not the rent-is-throwing-money-away slogan. It compares the net cost of owning a home against the net cost of renting over the years you plan to stay. Owning counts your down payment, mortgage interest, taxes, and upkeep, then credits back the equity you build and the appreciation on the home. Renting counts the rent you pay, then credits the investment growth you could earn by putting the down payment into the market instead.

To use it, enter the home price, your monthly rent for a comparable place, the down payment percent, your mortgage rate, and how many years you expect to stay. The hero number shows which option wins and by how much. The two stat cards show the net cost of each path, and the chart traces both costs year by year so you can see where the lines cross. Buying usually wins only after you stay long enough to outrun the upfront costs.

The buy versus rent choice shapes your finances more than almost any other decision. Buying ties up cash and locks you in place, while renting keeps you flexible and your capital liquid. Neither is automatically smarter. The right answer depends on your price, your rate, your rent, and your timeline. Running the real math protects you from a six-figure mistake in either direction.