Rent vs. Buy Calculator

The Rent vs. Buy Calculator settles the debate with numbers over the horizon you choose. It models owning costs and the equity you build (price growth minus loan balance) against renting and investing the difference — down payment plus any monthly savings — at your assumed return. The result is which path leaves you wealthier at the end.

• Side-by-side: Renting vs buying net worth at year N.
• Equity & growth: Appreciation minus loan and selling cost.
• Opportunity cost: Invests the down payment and savings.
• Horizon slider: See who wins at 5, 10, 15 years.
• Export: CSV, JSON or plain text.

1. Home: Price, down %, rate, term, taxes, insurance, maintenance, HOA.
2. Rent: Monthly rent and rent growth.
3. Assumptions: Appreciation, investment return, years, selling cost.
4. Read: Net position for each path.
5. Export.

Example 1 — Short horizon. 3 years favors renting; buying’s costs aren’t recovered.

Example 2 — Strong growth. 6% appreciation makes buying win long term.

Example 3 — High rent growth. Rising rent pushes renting’s cost up, helping buying.

Example 4 — Big down invested. Strong market returns make renting + investing competitive.

Example 5 — 15-year hold. Equity compounds; buying typically leads.

• Decision clarity: See the wealth gap, not just monthly rent.
• Horizon aware: Know when buying overtakes renting.
• Opportunity cost: Accounts for investing instead of owning.
• Private: No account, no upload, nothing stored.