Buying comes out ahead by
$107,334
Over 10 years, rent paid against what buying costs once selling is taken into account. Renting leaves nothing behind; buying leaves what the sale returns. Buying pulls ahead in year 3.
Compare renting against buying over a chosen period.
Buying comes out ahead by
$107,334
Rent paid
$165,080
over 10 yrs
Cost of buying
$57,746
Monthly mortgage
$1,288.37
on $240,000 borrowed
You walk away with
$195,859
home worth $403,175
What each option has cost by the end of every year. Where the lines cross is when buying overtakes renting.
Where each option stands at the end of every year.
| Year | Rent that year | Rent so far | Still owed | Home worth | Buying has cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $14,400 | $14,400 | $236,459 | $309,000 | $24,190 |
| 2 | $14,832 | $29,232 | $232,737 | $318,270 | $29,936 |
| 3Buying is ahead | $15,277 | $44,509 | $228,825 | $327,818 | $35,222 |
| 4 | $15,735 | $60,244 | $224,712 | $337,653 | $40,031 |
| 5 | $16,207 | $76,452 | $220,389 | $347,782 | $44,343 |
| 6 | $16,694 | $93,145 | $215,845 | $358,216 | $48,138 |
| 7 | $17,194 | $110,339 | $211,068 | $368,962 | $51,398 |
| 8 | $17,710 | $128,050 | $206,047 | $380,031 | $54,101 |
| 9 | $18,241 | $146,291 | $200,769 | $391,432 | $56,224 |
| 10 | $18,789 | $165,080 | $195,221 | $403,175 | $57,746 |
Pick one to start. You can switch later without losing your answers.
Every input on one page
With the result beside it — the calculator as you know it, free for every account.
Renting or buying: which costs less?
Rent paid against what buying costs once you sell, a step at a time.
Am I better off renting and investing?
Invest the deposit and what renting saves each month, and see who owns more at the end.
When does buying start to pay?
The year buying overtakes renting and investing the difference — if it ever does.
What rent makes buying worth it?
The monthly rent above which buying this home leaves you better off.
How much can I pay and still come out ahead?
The highest price at which buying still beats renting and investing, at your rent.