Calculator

Rent vs Buy

Compare the total economic outcome of buying a home vs renting and investing the difference.

Essential Details

Country

Select a country to auto-fill typical defaults

Property Purchase Price

€

Total purchase price of the property

Comparable Monthly Rent

€/mo

Rent for an equivalent property

Planned stay ★ Key

The most important variable — how long you stay determines the outcome.

Years You Plan to Stay

Down Payment (%)

Rate

Term

Amortization

Home Growth

Invest Return

Buying Costs & Details

Legal / Notary Fees (%)

% of purchase price

Registration / Transfer Tax (%)

Mortgage Bank Fees (%)

% of mortgage amount

Agency / Broker Fee (%)

Renovation / Furnishing

€

Other Acquisition Costs

Any one-time buying expense that doesn't fit the other fields. Examples: surveyor/property inspection fees, mortgage valuation report, moving company costs, utility connection fees.

€

General Inflation Rate (%)

Ongoing Annual Costs

Annual Property Tax

€

Annual Home Insurance

€

Annual Maintenance

Standard rule of thumb: 0.5% - 1% of property value per year.

Annual Condo / HOA Charges

€

Annual Tax Benefit of Owning

The net yearly tax savings you get specifically because you own rather than rent.
Es. Tax benefits on mortgage interests.

€

Net annual tax savings from homeownership

Exit / Selling Costs

Selling Agent Commission (%)

Other Selling Costs (%)

Capital Gains Tax on Sale (%)

Tax on property value gain at sale (0 if exempt)

Renting Details

Security Deposit (months of rent)

Broker Fee

Annual Rent Increase (%)

Expected annual rent inflation

Annual Renters Insurance

€

Annual Maintenance (Tenant)

€

Investment Assumptions

Investment Tax Drag (%)

Annual effective tax on investment gains

Investment Fees (%)

Annual fund fees (TER)

Savings Discipline (%)

What % of monthly savings does the renter actually invest? 100% is optimistic.

Important

This calculator is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified professional.

Result

Buy — Net Wealth

Home equity

Selling costs

Capital gains tax

Rent — Net Wealth

Portfolio value

Deposit returned

Total rent paid

Scenario Analysis

Break-Even Analysis

Min. years to buy The minimum number of years you need to stay in the home for buying to beat renting financially.

Home growth break-even The annual property appreciation rate at which buying and renting produce exactly the same net wealth.

Investment return break-even The annual return the renter's portfolio would need to earn for renting to exactly match buying.

Rent growth break-even Annual rent increase percentage at which buying and renting produce exactly the same net wealth at the end of your holding period.

Full Cost Breakdown

Buying

Renting + Investing

Net Wealth Over Time

Monthly Cash Flow

Sensitivity Analysis

Which inputs change the result the most when varied across realistic ranges

Things to Consider

How It Works

We calculate total cost of buying including mortgage, taxes, and selling costs

We project what happens if you rent and invest the down payment + monthly savings

We compare net wealth at exit and find break-even points