Rent vs Buy Calculator
Weigh mortgage, appreciation, and invested down payment against renting.
Housing & affordability
Housing decisions are decided by the holding period, not the monthly payment. These calculators and guides put buying costs, selling costs, rent, and the opportunity cost of your down payment on the same timeline.
Calculators for this decision
Home Affordability & Full Housing Cost Calculator
Estimate a home price from income, debts, down payment, rate, taxes, insurance, HOA, PMI, and maintenance — not principal and interest alone.
Mortgage Payoff & Extra Payment Calculator
Compare your original amortization schedule against monthly extra payments and lump sums, including interest saved and months shaved off the term.
Guides that explain the decision
- Extra Mortgage Payments: What They Actually Save You
- How long do you need to stay before buying can beat renting?
- How Much House Can You Afford? The 28/36 Rule and What It Leaves Out
- Rent vs Buy: The Assumptions That Actually Change the Answer
- Home Service Plan True Cost: Price the Coverage You Actually Use
- Mortgage Points Break-Even: When Paying Upfront for a Lower Rate Actually Pays Off
- Mortgage Recast vs. Refinance vs. Extra Principal: Lower Payment, Lower Rate, or Faster Payoff?
- Prepay Rent Discount vs. Liquidity: Is Paying Months Upfront Actually Worth It?
- Rent Increase vs. Moving Break-Even: How Long Until a Cheaper Apartment Actually Saves Money?
How to read these pages
Each calculator applies a stated formula to the numbers you enter and shows the threshold where the answer flips. The default values are editable examples, not market averages or quotes. Nothing here is financial advice: confirm current prices, rates, fees, taxes and contract terms before acting on a result.