🏠
Loading comparison...
Enter your numbers to see the truth
—
Break-Even
🏠
10yr Buy Cost
—
Total out of pocket
🔑
10yr Rent Cost
—
Total rent paid
⏰
Break-Even
—
When buying wins
📈
Equity at 10yr
—
Home value minus mortgage
🎯 Rent vs Buy Verdict
Loading...
🔑 Renting
Current rent and expected increases
⚙️ Market
🏠 Buying
Home price, mortgage, and hidden costs
What this means in plain English
Enter your rent, home price, down payment, and mortgage rate above to find out whether buying or renting makes more financial sense in your situation.
What you should do next
- Fill in your numbers to get specific next steps for your rent vs buy decision.
Track your rent vs buy scenarios over time with Pro
Pro lets you save multiple scenarios — compare buying now vs waiting 2 years, or renting a nicer place vs a cheaper one — and track how rising rates or prices change the math.
💾 Save scenarios📊 Break-even tracking📈 Equity vs invested🎯 Decision timeline
Try Pro free for 14 days →
📅
Timeline Comparison
Cumulative cost of renting vs buying at 5, 10, 15, and 30 years
📈
Equity Builder
Watch your home equity grow — and compare to investing the down payment instead
Cumulative Cost Over Time
Annual Cost Breakdown
Where Buyer Money Goes (Yr 1)
Hidden Costs Total
Rent vs Buy Report
Vault & Vessel Studio ·
📖
How To Use
Rent or buy? See the full truth with every hidden cost included
🚀 Getting Started
1
Enter Your Rent
Current monthly rent and expected annual increase (usually 3-5% in most markets).
2
Enter Home Details
Home price, down payment, mortgage rate, property tax, insurance. Don't forget closing costs (the tool adds them).
3
See The Real Numbers
Total cost comparison at 5, 10, 15, 30 years. Break-even year tells you when buying becomes cheaper. Hidden costs view shows what people forget.
4
Check Opportunity Cost
If you rent, you could invest the down payment. The equity tracker compares home equity vs invested savings.
📊 Terms Made Simple
Break-Even Year: The year when buying's total cost drops below renting's. Before this year, renting is cheaper. After it, buying wins. It's usually 5-10 years depending on your market.
Hidden Costs: Maintenance (1-2% of home value/year), property tax, insurance, PMI (if under 20% down), closing costs (3-5%), HOA fees. These often total $800-1,500/month on top of your mortgage.
Opportunity Cost: Your down payment could be invested instead. $35,000 at 7% for 10 years = $69,000. That's the "invisible cost" of buying — money that could have grown elsewhere.
Home Equity: What your home is worth minus what you owe. It builds slowly at first (most early payments are interest), then accelerates. It's forced savings — but illiquid until you sell.
🔒 Your Data, Your Device
No subscription · Runs in your browser · Private local file
No data uploaded anywhere · Works 100% offline — no internet needed
No data uploaded anywhere · Works 100% offline — no internet needed
⚠️ This is a directional estimate, not financial advice. Real estate markets vary dramatically by location. Tax implications are simplified. Consult a financial advisor for your specific situation.