RentVsBuy — Free Rent or Buy Calculator with Break-Even Year

Buying

Currency

Home price

Down payment (%)

Mortgage rate (% a year)

Mortgage length (years)

Buying costs (% of price)

Selling costs when you leave (%)

Upkeep and repairs (% of value a year)

Property tax and insurance (per year)

Home price growth (% a year)

Buying costs: closing costs, taxes, lawyer and agent. Selling costs: agent and closing, often 6–8% in the US. Count only costs an owner pays and a renter doesn't.

Renting

Rent now (per month)

Rent increase (% a year)

Investment return on money you keep (% a year)

Years you'll stay

If you rent, the down payment and buying costs stay invested. Each month, whoever pays less invests the difference. That is the fair way to compare.

Rent or buy?

Net cost of buyingNet cost of renting

Net cost = all the money you paid in, minus what you own at the end (the home after selling costs and the loan, plus your investments). Lower is better.

Scenarios, sensitivity & CSV PRO

Save several homes and rents, see how the answer flips with the mortgage rate, price growth or your stay, and export year-by-year numbers to CSV.

Free

Full rent vs buy comparison
Year-by-year chart
Break-even year
Plain verdict

Pro

$9 one-time

Everything free, plus:
Save and compare scenarios
Sensitivity table (rate, growth, rent)
CSV export

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🏡 Rent or Buy, Clearly

One short tip a month on housing money.