About Rent vs Buy Calculator
Deciding whether to rent or buy a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make — and the answer is never the same for two people. Conventional wisdom says buying builds equity while renting is throwing money away, but that is a massive oversimplification. Buying comes with property taxes, maintenance, insurance, HOA fees, and closing costs that can easily eat up years of appreciation.
This calculator does the real math. It compares the total cost of each option over your chosen time frame, factoring in home appreciation, rent increases, and what your down payment could earn if invested instead. The results often surprise people: in many markets, renting and investing the difference beats buying, especially if you are not planning to stay for at least five years. Run your own numbers — the answer might change how you think about housing.