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Rent vs. Buy Calculator
Compare the true long-term cost of renting against buying.
🏠 If you buy
🏢 If you rent
Tax benefit of ownership
✓ After 7 years
Renting saves you
$18,708
Net cost of buying$202,798
Net cost of renting$184,090
Home equity$683,798
Invested down payment grows to$64,745
Break-even: Year 10 — buying becomes cheaper from this point on.
ℹAt 7 years, renting (and investing the down payment) comes out ahead — try a longer horizon to see if buying catches up.
Net cost over time: Buy vs Rent
The point where the buy line crosses below the rent line is your break-even year.
In-content ad slot (8901234567)
Year-by-year comparison
Shows the cumulative net cost of buying vs. renting at each year — the point where buying dips below renting is the break-even.
| Year | Net cost: Buy | Net cost: Rent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $61,375 | $23,578 | Rent ahead by $37,797 |
| 2 | $86,068 | $48,014 | Rent ahead by $38,054 |
| 3 | $110,345 | $73,337 | Rent ahead by $37,008 |
| 4 | $134,183 | $99,575 | Rent ahead by $34,607 |
| 5 | $157,555 | $126,760 | Rent ahead by $30,795 |
| 6 | $180,437 | $154,921 | Rent ahead by $25,516 |
| 7 | $202,798 | $184,090 | Rent ahead by $18,708 |
| 8 | $224,609 | $214,298 | Rent ahead by $10,311 |
| 9 | $245,839 | $245,579 | Rent ahead by $260 |
| 10 ✓ | $266,453 | $277,966 | Buy ahead by $11,513 |
| 11 | $286,415 | $311,492 | Buy ahead by $25,077 |
| 12 | $305,687 | $346,193 | Buy ahead by $40,506 |
| 13 | $324,229 | $382,104 | Buy ahead by $57,875 |
| 14 | $341,997 | $419,260 | Buy ahead by $77,263 |
| 15 | $358,945 | $457,699 | Buy ahead by $98,753 |