Rent vs. Buy Calculator
A full rent-vs-buy model with transaction costs, ownership costs, tax assumptions, reinvested cash flow, payoff logic, and a year-by-year table.
Home purchase inputs
Core purchase and mortgage assumptions.
$200,000 cash into property
Monthly mortgage = $4,542
Projected sale price: $3,243,398
Long-term outcome
Rent + Invest is ahead by $2,603,087 after 30 years.
Transaction & ownership costs
Grouped separately so depth is preserved inside this calculator.
$25,000
$0
$0
$194,604
$917 / month
$300 / month
$833 / month
Rent & market alternative
Rental path and alternate investment assumptions.
Custom return
Index presets use approximate 30-year annualized historical total-return averages with dividends reinvested. They are planning assumptions, not forecasts.
Ownership cost
Today's monthly cash waterfall for the buyer path.
This is a current-month view. The year-by-year table still uses the full model.
Advanced assumptions
Tax benefit assumptions.
Year-by-year comparison
Full yearly output for buyer vs. renter.
About this rent vs. buy calculator
This rent vs. buy calculator estimates whether renting and investing may outperform buying a home over a selected time period. It compares home equity after sale against a renter portfolio that invests upfront cash and any monthly cash flow advantage.
The model includes purchase price, down payment, mortgage rate, loan term, rent, rent inflation, property tax, insurance, maintenance, closing costs, selling costs, renovations, home appreciation, and market return assumptions.
How to interpret the result
A buying advantage means the estimated home equity and buyer surplus investment are ahead of the rent-and-invest alternative. A renting advantage means the estimated renter portfolio is ahead after the comparison period.
What to verify
Confirm local property taxes, insurance, HOA fees if applicable, closing costs, sale costs, loan terms, and realistic maintenance before relying on the estimate.