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Utilnivo

Rent vs Buy Calculator

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Compare the cost of renting versus buying a home over time.

  • 100% Free
  • No signup
  • Private & secure
  • Instant results
  • On your device

Private on your device

Your information stays on your device and is not uploaded.

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Related tools

Enter home price, mortgage terms, monthly rent, and comparison period to estimate total renting cost versus net buying cost including equity, maintenance, taxes, and appreciation.

How to use this tool

Enter home price, down payment ($ or %), mortgage rate and term, rent, comparison years, appreciation, rent growth, maintenance, property tax ($/yr or % of home), and insurance. Optionally set expected investment return (opportunity cost while renting), selling cost percent (default 6%), and PMI rate when down payment is under 20%. Calculate to see net rent vs net buy and which costs less.

Worked example

Example: a $400,000 home with $80,000 down, 6.5% rate, 30-year term, $2,200 rent, 7-year horizon, 3% appreciation, 6% selling costs, and 7% investment return while renting — the model nets buy proceeds after sell costs against rent minus grown down-payment wealth.

How it works

Projects renting and buying costs over your comparison period. Buying includes down payment, mortgage P&I, property tax, insurance, maintenance, optional PMI when down payment is under 20%, and selling costs at the end. Renting applies annual rent increases and credits the ending value of investing the down payment at your expected return (opportunity cost). Net costs compare cash outflows minus ending assets — home equity after sell costs for buying, invested down payment for renting.

Limitations

Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial or tax advice. Actual costs, rates, and rules vary.

Privacy and file handling

Your data stays on your device and is not uploaded.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is Rent vs Buy Calculator free?

Yes. It is free to use and you do not need to sign in or create an account.

Is my data private?

See the privacy note on this page. Many tools run on your device; some heavier file tools may use secure temporary processing when required.

Can I use Rent vs Buy Calculator on mobile?

Yes. Open this page on your phone or tablet, enter your inputs, and use the on-screen controls.

Part of these workflows

This tool is one step in a longer job. Jump straight to your step or open the full workflow guide.

Related pages

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