Rent vs Buy Calculator
Find your break-even year — when buying becomes cheaper than renting after accounting for equity, home appreciation, taxes, maintenance, and the opportunity cost of your down payment.
Buying
$
Median US home price is around $400k–$430k.
$
20% down · $2,086/mo mortgage
%
Current 30-yr fixed rates are around 6.5–7%.
% / yr
% / yr
Renting
$
Use your current rent or a local market estimate.
%
Assumptions
% / yr
Historical US average is ~3–4%/yr. Local markets vary widely.
Break-Even Point
Year 1
Buying beats renting after this year
Advantage at Year 10
$89,056
Buying net advantage
Net Cost Over Time (costs minus equity / investment growth)
How net cost is calculated
Buy net cost = total payments + taxes + maintenance − home equity built. Rent net cost = total rent paid + down payment − what that down payment would have grown to if invested at 7%/yr. The lower line wins.