The rent vs buy decision involves more than just comparing monthly payments. Buying includes hidden costs (maintenance, insurance, property taxes, closing costs) but builds equity. Renting avoids those costs but the savings must be invested to build wealth. Our calculator models both paths year by year — factoring in home appreciation, investment returns on renting savings, tax benefits, and opportunity costs — to show you which option builds more wealth over your time horizon.
It depends on your location, how long you plan to stay, and current market conditions. In general, buying becomes cheaper than renting after 5–7 years due to equity building and fixed mortgage payments (vs. rising rents). However, in expensive markets with high home prices relative to rents, renting and investing the difference can be more cost-effective.
The break-even point is when the total cost of buying (including down payment, closing costs, mortgage interest, and maintenance) equals the total cost of renting (including rent payments minus investment returns on savings). This typically ranges from 3 to 7 years depending on local market conditions.
Beyond the mortgage, homeowners pay property taxes (1%–2% of home value/year), homeowners insurance, maintenance and repairs (1%–2%/year), potentially HOA fees, and PMI if the down payment is below 20%. These costs add 30%–50% on top of the mortgage payment.
Home appreciation builds equity and is amplified by mortgage leverage. A 3% annual appreciation on a $400,000 home is $12,000/year — but if you put 20% down ($80,000), that is a 15% return on your down payment. However, appreciation is not guaranteed and varies by location.
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