Buy vs. Rent — Total Cost of Living Show Advanced 1) If You Buy Home Price Down Payment (%) Mortgage Rate (%/yr) Loan Term (years) Property Tax (% of price / yr) Home Insurance ($/mo) HOA ($/mo) Maintenance (% of price / yr) Closing Costs (% of price) Selling Costs (% of future price) Home Appreciation (%/yr) PMI (% of loan / yr) ? We include principal & interest, taxes, insurance, HOA, maintenance, and PMI (until 20% equity). Closing costs are paid upfront; selling costs are deducted when you sell. 2) If You Rent Rent ($/mo) Rent Growth (%/yr) Renter’s Insurance ($/mo) Rent increases annually by the rate you set. Renter’s insurance is optional but recommended. 3) Common Assumptions Time Horizon (years) Investment Return (%/yr) Inflation (%/yr) Treat Taxes Ignore income tax effects Simple: property tax & mortgage interest are not modeled Maintenance Growth Rule % of current home value % of original price Property Tax Rule % of current value % of original price We compare **total cost** and **ending net worth**. Any cash you don’t spend is invested at your chosen return (opportunity cost). Calculate Reset Export CSV Buy: Total Cash Out (today’s $)$0 Rent: Total Cash Out (today’s $)$0 Ending Net Worth (Buy)$0 Ending Net Worth (Rent)$0 Buy vs. Rent — Difference$0 Break-even Year (approx)— Buy — Net Worth Rent — Net Worth Zero Line Yearly Summary (today's dollars) YearBuy Cash OutRent Cash OutBuy NWRent NWΔ NW (Buy−Rent) Notes & Assumptions PMI applies when down < 20% and stops once **loan-to-value ≤ 80%** based on amortization & appreciation. Maintenance defaults to **% of current value** (more realistic); you can switch to % of original price. Inflation converts all totals to **today’s dollars** for easier comparison. Educational tool — not tax, legal, or financial advice.
