CalcKitHow to Use the Rent vs Buy Calculator
"Renting is throwing money away" โ or is it? The honest answer depends on prices, rates and how long you stay. This calculator compares the true cost of both paths over your planned stay: total rent paid versus buying cost (down payment + mortgage payments, minus the equity you've built).
Enter your monthly rent, the home price, down payment, mortgage rate and how many years you'll stay, then press Compare Rent vs Buy. The verdict badge tells you which wins and by how much, with the full breakdown underneath.
The key insight: early mortgage payments are mostly interest, so buying only pulls ahead after several years โ typically 5โ10 depending on the market. Stay 3 years and renting usually wins; stay 15 and buying usually wins big, because each payment builds equity you keep.
This is simplified โ it ignores rent increases (which favor buying), home appreciation (favors buying), and taxes, insurance and maintenance (favor renting). For the mortgage maths in detail, see our Mortgage Calculator.