Tool
Buy vs. rent calculator
Buying isn't automatically better than renting — it depends on how long you stay, what homes cost in your area, and what the money could do instead. This simple comparison shows both sides. No sign-up, runs entirely in your browser.
Your numbers
Renting side
Assumptions
Net worth after 10 years
Buy$0
—
Rent$0
- Monthly: mortgage + taxes/insurance/maintenance
- $0
- Monthly rent (starting)
- $0
- Upfront cash needed to buy
- $0
Buying counts the down payment, closing costs (~2%), a 30-year mortgage, property taxes (~1%), insurance and maintenance (~1.5%). Renting counts rent growing each year plus the opportunity cost of not owning. It ignores tax deductions, HOA fees, and transaction costs of selling — so treat the gap as the direction, not the exact number.