Mortgage

Rent vs Buy Calculator

Compare a simplified rent cost against a simplified ownership cost over a chosen number of years.

Monthly rent

Monthly ownership cost

Monthly maintenance estimate

Years

Home value

Annual appreciation estimate

Estimated rent cost

$144,000

Over 5 years.

Estimated buy cost after appreciation

$138,327

$71,673 estimated home value growth offset.

Formula, assumptions, and limits

Formula used

The calculator compares rent cost with monthly ownership cost and estimated maintenance, then subtracts a simple home appreciation estimate from ownership cost.

Important limits

This is a simplified comparison. It does not include transaction costs, taxes, insurance details, principal paydown, selling costs, rent increases, or investment alternatives.

Eerns calculators are for educational estimates only and are not financial, tax, legal, or investment advice. Results depend on the information entered and may not reflect a full situation.

How to use it

Use this calculator to compare rent and ownership assumptions without turning the page into a full real estate model.

Calculation method

The calculator compares rent cost with monthly ownership cost and estimated maintenance, then subtracts a simple home appreciation estimate from ownership cost.

Important limitation

This is a simplified comparison. It does not include transaction costs, taxes, insurance details, principal paydown, selling costs, rent increases, or investment alternatives.

Example scenario

Compare $2,400 monthly rent against a $3,200 ownership payment plus maintenance over five years with an assumed appreciation rate.

Embed version

Choose an embed theme.

Each embed URL can include a brightness, top-bar color, and main-area color. This makes it easier to match the tool to another website.

Embed theme

Default professional blue header with a white calculator area.

https://eerns.com/embed/rent-vs-buy-calculator/bright/blue/white

<iframe src="https://eerns.com/embed/rent-vs-buy-calculator/bright/blue/white" width="100%" height="1180" style="border:0;border-radius:12px;" loading="lazy"></iframe>

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Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Is this a full rent vs buy model?

No. It is a simplified estimate meant to start a comparison, not replace a full housing analysis.

Why include appreciation?

Home value growth can offset some ownership costs in a simplified model, but actual appreciation is uncertain.

What else should be considered?

Transaction costs, taxes, insurance, repairs, mobility, interest, rent increases, and investment alternatives can all matter.

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