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Calculators

Rent or buy calculator

Compare renting and buying a home over the years: mortgage, owner costs, price growth and what the money would earn invested.

Figures checked: October 2026 · Methodology and sources

Better for you over these years
Buying
Net worth if you buy
267,858.91
Net worth if you rent and invest
243,340.22
Difference
24,518.70
Rent paid
183,955.31
Mortgage interest paid
81,836.00

Selling costs, tax on gains and tax benefits of owning are not included.

Renting or buying: comparing like with like

Buying is not automatically better because rent is "money thrown away": mortgage interest, upkeep, taxes and purchase costs are not recovered either. This calculator follows both paths for the years you plan to stay.

  • Buyer: pays the down payment and purchase costs, the mortgage and the owner costs, and owns a home that grows in value.
  • Renter: invests the down payment and purchase costs instead, and every year whoever spends less invests the difference.

The result compares net worth at the end: home value minus the remaining mortgage plus investments, against the renter's investments.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the time I stay matter so much?

Purchase costs are paid once, up front. The longer you stay, the more years they are spread over, so buying tends to win over long horizons.

What return should I use for investments?

A cautious long-term figure. Using a high return makes renting look better; using none makes buying look better.

What is not included?

Selling costs, tax on gains, tax deductions for owners and the value of stability or flexibility. Weigh those too.

Indicative results. This is not financial advice.

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