The tool
Set your assumptions, get your answer.
Enter the numbers for the home you are considering and the rent you would pay for the same property. The calculator runs entirely in your browser, on your device, the moment you press Calculate.
The comparison
Owning versus renting, at your numbers.
Your results will appear here after you press Calculate. Adjust any assumption and run it again to see how the verdict moves.
Your verdict will appear here.
Monthly cost to own
$0
- Principal & interest$0
- Property taxes$0
- Insurance$0
- HOA / maintenance$0
Monthly rent
Today
$0
Average over the period
$0
Total cost over 10 years
Out-of-pocket cash, including your down payment. Bars show the relative size of each total.
Projected home equity at year 10
$0
Estimated value after appreciation, minus the remaining loan balance: $0 in value.
| Year | Home value | Loan balance | Equity | Own / mo | Rent / mo | Total paid, own | Total paid, rent |
|---|
These results are estimates for illustration only, produced in your browser from the assumptions you entered. They are not financial or tax advice. Property taxes, insurance premiums, HOA fees, maintenance, appreciation, and rents change; a real lender quote and a tax professional's review of your situation should drive any purchase or lease decision. The calculator ignores items such as closing and selling costs, repairs, tax deductions, and what your down payment could earn if invested, all of which matter.
Plain language
What each number means.
The owning side is built from four building blocks, plus the equity your payments and appreciation create. The renting side is simpler: the rent you pay, growing at the rate you expect.
Principal and interest
The loan payment at your rate and term. Principal is the part that pays down what you owe, interest is the cost of borrowing, and both are fixed for the life of a fixed-rate loan.
Taxes and insurance
Property tax is entered as an annual percentage of the purchase price; insurance is the annual premium you enter. Both are divided into the monthly totals, and both vary by address, coverage, and year.
HOA and maintenance
Condo and community fees, plus the upkeep a delivered single-family home carries. In luxury South Florida buildings this line is often the deciding one, so give it the number a real quote would.
Appreciation and equity
Home value grows at the appreciation rate you enter, while your payments shrink the loan. Equity is the difference, and it only buys you something when you sell or borrow against it.
Good to know
How the calculator works.
What does the buy vs rent calculator compare?
It compares the monthly cash cost of owning, including principal, interest, property taxes, insurance, and HOA or maintenance, with the monthly cost of renting the same home. It then totals both over the number of years you expect to stay and shows the home equity a purchase would build during that time.
Is this financial or tax advice?
No. The results are estimates for illustration only, built from the assumptions you enter. They are not financial, tax, or legal advice. A lender and a tax professional should review any real purchase or lease decision before you commit.
Where do the numbers come from?
Every number is yours. The calculator takes the price, rate, tax, insurance, HOA, appreciation, rent, and timeline you enter and runs the math locally in your browser. It does not pull live market data or MLS listings, and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
Can I use it to compare new construction against a resale?
Yes. Run the tool once with the new-construction price, HOA, and projected appreciation, then again with the resale figures. Compare the verdicts and the year-by-year rows to see which scenario costs less over the years you plan to stay.
Talk it through with Kelby.
A spreadsheet says what the numbers say. Kelby says what the numbers mean for your specific market, building, and timeline: which luxury neighborhoods swing the verdict, what HOA and insurance actually run at the address you are considering, and how the buy or rent decision fits your next five to ten years.
Get your scenario checked
Send the numbers you ran and Kelby will reply with the market context behind them. Free and confidential.