Rent vs. Buy Calculator — Free, No Sign-Up

Home your saved homes

If you buy

Home price

Down payment % of price

Mortgage rate % · 30-yr fixed

If you rent

Monthly rent for a similar home

Annual rent increase %

If you don’t buy, your cash earns… %/yr · e.g. savings or index funds

How long will you stay?7 years

Advanced assumptions

~$16,700

Renting comes out ahead over 7 years

Buying pays off past year 9.

Buying: $236,928 net
Renting: $220,231 net
Break-even: Year 9

Net cost over time

BuyingRentingBreak-even

Side by side

	Buying	Renting
Monthly cost (year 1)	$3,861	$2,815
Cash up front	$58,500	$0
Net cost after 7 years	$236,928	$220,231

Assumes a 30-year fixed loan; sale proceeds return your equity minus selling costs; the renter invests the down payment, closing costs and any monthly savings at your investment return. Income-tax effects aren’t modeled (most buyers take the standard deduction). Estimates only — not financial advice.

Renting for now, or buying sooner than you thought? Either way, know your number first — it takes two minutes and nothing is pulled.