How does this buy vs rent calculator work?

It compares estimated buyer equity with a renter-investor path using assumptions like mortgage cost, rent growth, and investment return.

Does it include maintenance and property costs?

Yes. It includes practical ownership assumptions such as tax and maintenance to improve the comparison quality.

Can I change the decision horizon?

Yes. You can test different time horizons to see how the buy vs rent outcome changes over short and long periods.

Is buying always better than renting?

Not always. The better option depends on location, cash flow, market conditions, flexibility needs, and your assumptions.

House / Rent Decision Calculator

Buy or Rent Decision Calculator

Compare total cost, projected equity, and renter-investor outcomes over the same decision timeline.

Buy vs rentEquity viewRenter investment path

Overview

Quick snapshot

Home price$120,000.00

Rent / month$650.00

Monthly owner cost$899.43

Upfront needed$28,800.00

Inputs

Adjust the assumptions and the results update instantly.

Buying assumptions

Purchase and mortgage

Home price

Down payment (%)

Closing costs (%)

Mortgage rate (%)

Loan term (years)

Property tax (%)

Maintenance (%)

Home growth (%)

Renting assumptions

Alternative path

Rent / month

Rent growth (%)

Investment return (%)

Decision horizon (years)

Related tools

Finance tools

Affordability Calculator

Estimate a comfortable purchase budget from income, debt, fixed costs, down payment, and financing assumptions.

Finance tools

Loan Calculator

Model mortgages, car loans, business loans, and bridge loans with cash-flow, fee, and payoff analysis.

Finance tools

Savings Goal Calculator

See how quickly a savings plan reaches the target and what monthly amount is required to stay on schedule.

Finance tools

Monthly Budget Planner

Plan monthly income, spending categories, and projected savings with Excel and PDF export.

Help & answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Important disclaimer: Alexonic Tools is completely free to use. There is no charge, and we do not save tool inputs or generated results. We value customer privacy and keep building and fixing each day. Always verify important financial, payroll, legal, tax, business, or production-code results before relying on them. If you see an issue, need a tool, or require an update, send feedback to the developer.