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Rent v Buy

Is It Cheaper to Rent or Buy Right Now?

The answer depends on your market, timeline, and what you do with the money you don't spend on a down payment. Here is how to run the real comparison.

The monthly cost myth

The most common mistake in the rent-vs-buy comparison is comparing the mortgage payment to the monthly rent. This makes buying look cheaper than it is, because the mortgage payment covers only principal and interest. The true monthly cost of owning a home is significantly higher.

At the same time, the long-term comparison is often more favorable for buying than a simple monthly snapshot suggests, because rent increases compound over time while the principal and interest portion of a fixed mortgage payment never changes.

The only honest comparison accounts for all costs on both sides, over a realistic time horizon, including what happens to the money that is not spent on a down payment.

What buying really costs

The full monthly cost of homeownership includes:

  • Principal and interest: The base mortgage payment. Use the Mortgage Payment Calculator to model your exact loan. On a $320,000 loan at 6.75% for 30 years, this is approximately $2,076/month.
  • Property taxes: Typically 0.5–2.5% of home value annually. On a $400,000 home at 1.2%, that is $400/month.
  • Homeowners insurance: Typically $100–$200/month depending on location and coverage.
  • Maintenance: The standard estimate is 1–2% of home value annually. On a $400,000 home, that is $333–$667/month on average.
  • PMI: If your down payment is below 20%, add $100–$300/month until you reach 80% LTV.
  • HOA fees: Zero in many markets, but $200–$600/month in others.

Plus upfront costs: buyer closing costs (typically 2–5% of the home price) and the down payment, which is capital that cannot be invested elsewhere.

What renting really costs

Renting is simpler. Your costs are:

  • Monthly rent
  • Renters insurance (typically $15–$30/month)
  • Move-in costs (security deposit, first and last month in some markets)

Renters do not pay property taxes, maintenance costs, HOA fees, or PMI. These savings are real and significant, often $500–$1,500/month that can be invested or saved.

The opportunity cost factor

Here is where the comparison gets interesting. A renter who keeps their would-be down payment invested and also invests their monthly savings (when renting is cheaper) can accumulate substantial wealth, sometimes more than a buyer accumulates in equity.

Whether this investment strategy beats homeownership depends on three things:

  • Investment return rate vs home appreciation rate
  • How long you stay in the home
  • Whether the renter actually invests the difference (many do not)
The disciplined investor who rents often outperforms the buyer over short horizons. The buyer who stays long-term often outperforms the renter who spends rather than invests the difference.

Buying in a high-rate environment

When interest rates are above 6%, the monthly P&I payment on a given loan amount is significantly higher than at 3–4%. This shifts the break-even point meaningfully later. A scenario that used to break even in 4 years might now take 7–9 years.

However, high interest rate environments often coincide with higher rental costs as more would-be buyers stay in the rental market. In many markets today, rents have risen enough that buying still makes sense for buyers planning 7+ year stays, especially if they expect to refinance when rates fall.

The key insight: buy the house, date the rate. If you plan to stay long enough and rates eventually fall, a refinance will improve the economics. But do not buy assuming a refinance; make sure the purchase makes sense at today's rate.

How to compare your specific numbers

Generic rules of thumb are unreliable because local markets vary enormously. The only way to know whether renting or buying is cheaper for your situation is to model it with your actual numbers.

Use the Rent vs Buy Calculator with your specific home price, local tax rate, current mortgage rate quote, and realistic local rent levels. The calculator runs a month-by-month simulation and shows you the exact break-even year, cumulative costs over time, equity built, and opportunity-cost-adjusted comparison.

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Frequently Asked Questions

It depends heavily on your local market and how long you plan to stay. High rates increase the monthly payment significantly, but if rents in your area are also high and growing, buying can still make sense over a 7–10 year horizon. The key is modeling your specific numbers rather than relying on general rules.

Look up the median home sale price and median monthly rent for comparable properties in your target neighborhood. Divide the home price by 12 times the monthly rent to get the price-to-rent ratio. Real estate sites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com provide both data points.

Appreciation increases your equity and improves the net financial outcome of buying, but it doesn't make the monthly cash outflow lower. The question is whether appreciation-driven wealth accumulation outperforms the alternative of investing your down payment and monthly savings. That depends on local appreciation rates, investment returns, and your horizon.

By Barron Hansen, Founder · Last reviewed

Rent vs buy by state

State-level context for the markets most relevant to this guide.