Rent vs Buy Calculator

About this calculator

This calculator lines up the true monthly cost of owning — mortgage principal and interest, property tax, insurance and routine maintenance — against a straightforward monthly rent payment, so you can see which option costs less right now rather than guessing from a home's sticker price alone.

Rent-versus-buy math like this underpins tools used by first-time buyers, relocation counselors and financial planners, because a mortgage payment alone hides costs a landlord already bundles into rent — property tax, insurance, and maintenance that typically runs 1-2% of a home's value every year. Comparing the full monthly cost, not just the loan payment, is what actually tells you which option wins for your budget.