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Rent vs Buy Calculator

5-year total cost of renting vs owning, modeled honestly.

Most rent vs buy calculators ignore maintenance, opportunity cost on your down payment, and the closing costs you'll pay on the way in and out. This one models all of it across a 5-year horizon so the answer is honest, not optimistic.

Renting
$
%
Buying
$
%
%
%
$/mo
$/mo
%/yr
%/yr
%/yr
Monthly cost of owning$3,735
5-yr rent total$155,990
5-yr owning out-of-pocket$224,103
Principal paid down$23,425
Home value after 5 yrs$492,691
Equity at sale (net selling costs)$94,202
Opportunity cost on down payment$18,687
5-year verdict
Renting wins by $47,849
Estimate. Doesn't model tax deductions, capital gains, or local cost variance. The break-even horizon is usually 3–7 years.

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Frequently asked questions

How long do you need to stay to break even on buying?

Usually 3–7 years, depending on closing costs, appreciation, and rent inflation. In high-tax / high-insurance markets like coastal Florida, the break-even can stretch to 6–8 years.

What's opportunity cost on a down payment?

The return you'd earn investing the down payment instead (typically 5–7% conservatively). Skipping this makes owning look better than it is — honest calculators include it.

Is buying always better long-term?

No. In high-cost-of-ownership markets with weak appreciation, renting and investing the difference can outperform — especially if you might move within 5 years.

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