Rent vs Buy
Break-even year, 30-year cost curves, and a plain-English verdict.
Renting
$
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Buying
$
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yr
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% / yr
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30-year projection
Break-even year
Year 11
Buying likely wins if you stay ≥ 11 years. Beyond that, ownership pulls ahead by $477,019 over 30 years.
Cumulative net cost
RentBuy
Home value @ 30y
$1,213,631
Equity @ 30y
$1,213,631
Advantage @ 30y
$477,019
Buying
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How this works
Rent-vs-buy compares the true 30-year net cost of renting (including opportunity cost on the down payment) against buying (mortgage, taxes, maintenance, minus equity and appreciation) to find the year buying pulls ahead.
Rent cost grows each year by your rent-increase assumption. The down payment invested at your assumed return offsets rent's true out-of-pocket.
Buy cost = P&I + tax + insurance + maintenance each year, plus closing costs up front. Equity built and appreciation net of selling costs offset the running cost.
The break-even year is the first year buy's net cost falls below rent's net cost.