Rent vs. Buy Calculator
Should you rent or buy? Compare the real net cost of each over the years you plan to stay — weighing payments, equity, appreciation, rent growth, and the return on money a renter keeps invested.
A simplified estimate using fixed assumptions (30-yr term, ~1.1% property tax, ~1% upkeep, ~2% buy/sell costs); it ignores tax deductions, PMI, and exact local costs. Educational only — not financial advice.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to rent or buy?
It depends on how long you stay, your purchase price vs. rent, the rate, and how fast home values and rents change. Buying usually wins the longer you stay (you build equity); renting can win over short horizons. Our calculator compares the net cost both ways.
How does the calculator decide?
It totals the net cost of buying (upfront + payments minus the equity you'd recover from appreciation, less the remaining loan and selling costs) and the net cost of renting (rent paid minus the investment gains on the cash you'd keep invested), then shows which is lower over your holding period.
What does it leave out?
To stay simple it uses fixed assumptions (30-year term, ~1.1% property tax, ~1% upkeep, ~2% buy/sell costs) and ignores tax deductions, PMI, and exact local costs. Treat it as a directional estimate, not financial advice.
A simplified educational estimate using fixed assumptions and figures you enter — not financial advice. Many factors (tax treatment, PMI, maintenance, local costs, market changes) affect the real answer. Consult a licensed professional for your situation. ListMyHomes.com is a licensed brokerage acting only as a neutral facilitator.