Free Rent vs Buy Calculator
Free Home Buying Tool
Rent vs Buy Calculator
Compare the real cost of renting vs buying over the years you’ll stay — including equity, appreciation and the money you’d invest instead. Free, no signup.
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Real Estate Investor Toolkit
Fix & flip, BRRRR, rental and Airbnb calculators — model cash flow, cap rate and true returns on any deal before you buy.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy?
This free rent vs buy calculator settles the debate with real numbers. It compares the total cost of buying a home — mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance and selling costs, minus the equity and appreciation you gain — against the total cost of renting while investing the money you would have put down.
Why renting isn’t just “throwing money away”
The honest comparison isn’t rent vs mortgage. If you rent, you keep your down payment and closing costs invested, earning a return. A fair calculation credits the renter with that investment growth — which this tool does.
What is the break-even year?
Buying usually costs more in the early years (closing costs, low equity) and pulls ahead later as you build equity and the home appreciates. The break-even year is when buying becomes cheaper than renting. If you’ll move before then, renting often wins.
Buying to invest, not to live?
If it’s a rental or flip, the math is different — cash flow and cap rate matter more than break-even. The Real Estate Investor Toolkit and Rent vs Buy spreadsheet go deeper.