Rent vs. buy calculator

Does buying beat renting?

Four numbers. Twenty seconds. No sign-up, and we don't sell mortgages.

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Uses 6.5% mortgage, 3.5% appreciation, 7% after-tax return. Updated 2026-10-02.
Example

$600K home vs. $2,800 rent

Break-even: around year 7. At a 10-year horizon, buying leaves you about $84K ahead.

Open this scenario →

How price-to-rent changes the answer

Year 4
$200K / $1,400 rent
cheap-to-buy market
Year 7
$600K / $2,800 rent
middle market
Never
$1.5M / $3,700 rent
Bay Area

What the math counts

  • Mortgage amortization with escalating property tax, insurance, maintenance, and HOA.
  • Symmetric monthly budget. Both the renter and the owner invest their surplus at the same after-tax return.
  • Section 121 exclusion on the home sale, selling costs, and purchase closing costs added to basis.
  • PMI if your down payment is under 20%, cancelled per the amortization schedule.

How this is free

The calculator is free. $29 once unlocks your own assumptions and a break-even price solver. We don't sell your data, we don't run ads, and we don't refer you to a mortgage broker.

Common questions

Where do my numbers go?

Nowhere. The math runs in your browser. We don't store or send your scenario anywhere. If you share the result URL, the numbers travel in the URL itself.

How is this different from NerdWallet or Zillow?

Their calculators exist to generate leads for mortgage lenders and real-estate agents. We don't sell leads. We're a single-purpose tool with no second business model behind it.

What's the math behind this?

Standard mortgage amortization, geometric compounding for appreciation and investment return, a symmetric monthly budget so both renter and owner invest their surplus. Prop 13 cap applied for California.

What do I get for $29?

Every assumption becomes editable: your rate quote, your tax bracket, your HOA, your state's property tax, your filing status. Plus a break-even price solver that answers: at your horizon, what's the most you could pay and still break even? Share links then carry your scenario end-to-end.

Your break-even year
IF YOU BUY
WINNER
You walk away with
Tax already deducted (included above)
net home-sale proceeds plus owner's investment surplus, after mortgage, selling costs, and taxes
IF YOU RENT
WINNER
You walk away with
Tax already deducted (included above)
down payment and monthly surplus invested, cashed out after taxes
This assumes you invest the savings
Monthly costs (Year 1)
Buying
See details ↓
Renting
See details ↓
When does buying break even?
Buying Renting

Projections based on assumptions. Consult a financial professional before making major decisions.

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Your break-even year, with your numbers.

The free result uses national averages. Pro recalculates with your actual rate quote, your tax bracket, your rent history, and your market.

Your mortgage rate, not the national average

Lender quotes typically differ from the 6.5% default by half a point or more.

Your property tax, your insurance, your HOA

County-level property tax alone can move the break-even year by 2 or 3.

Your expected returns and rent growth

7% after-tax is a national guess. Your portfolio, 401k mix, and local rent trajectory are not.

Itemized deduction and §121 for married filers

If you itemize or will file jointly, the free number is understating buying by thousands.

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