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Buy vs Rent

Rent vs Buy Calculator

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Should you rent or buy a home? Compare total costs over your chosen horizon — mortgage EMI, maintenance, property tax, home appreciation, and opportunity cost on the down payment. Informational only.

Break-Even Year
Year-by-Year
Opportunity Cost
Not Financial Advice

Property Details

%

Down payment: ₹10,00,000

%
yrs
%
%
%
%

Rent & Returns

%
%

Investment Return = if down payment were invested instead

yrs
B
Buy is Better
Buying is financially advantageous over your chosen horizon.
Monthly EMI
₹34,713
Current Rent
₹25,000
Break-even Year
Year 4
Buying cheaper after year 4
Net Advantage
₹13,89,941
Buying saves this much
After 10 Years
Home Value
₹89,54,238
Equity Built
₹61,54,486
Renter's Investment
₹33,83,802
Year-by-Year Comparison
YearBuy Cost (cum.)Rent Cost (cum.)Buy vs Rent
2₹22,37,610₹6,15,000-₹1,13,844
4₹32,44,317₹12,93,038+₹1,12,613
6₹42,72,480₹20,40,574+₹4,35,197
8₹53,24,751₹28,64,733+₹8,59,368
10₹64,04,111₹37,73,368+₹13,89,941

Positive = buying is cheaper (net of equity); negative = renting is cheaper (net of investment).

Informational only — not financial advice. Actual outcomes depend on many factors not modelled here. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making housing decisions.

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How to Use

  1. 1 Enter the home price and your down payment percentage
  2. 2 Set mortgage rate, loan tenure, maintenance and property tax percentages
  3. 3 Enter your current monthly rent and expected annual rent increase
  4. 4 Choose an investment return rate (opportunity cost of the down payment)
  5. 5 Set how many years you plan to stay and click Compare
  6. 6 See the break-even year, net advantage, and a year-by-year cost comparison

Features

  • Full cost comparison: EMI, maintenance, property tax, closing costs vs rent paid
  • Opportunity cost: models the renter investing the down payment in the market
  • Break-even year: when buying becomes cheaper than renting
  • Year-by-year cumulative cost series for both paths
  • End-of-horizon equity vs renter investment value comparison
  • 100% client-side — no data sent to any server

Why it Matters

The rent-vs-buy decision is usually the largest financial choice of a person's life. Break-even depends on dozens of variables simultaneously. This calculator models all of them so you see the complete picture before deciding, not just compare EMI to rent.

★★★★★

Use Cases

First-Time Home Buyers

See whether buying makes financial sense at your price point and timeframe

Renters Evaluating Offers

Compare a builder's offer to your current rent with real numbers

Relocation Planning

Decide whether to rent or buy in a new city based on local appreciation

Financial Planning

Model different down payment and tenure scenarios to optimise your decision

What this tool does

Enter home price, down payment, mortgage rate, maintenance, taxes, and appreciation — then your rent, rent growth, and investment return assumption. A year-by-year simulation shows the break-even point, cumulative costs for both paths, and equity vs investment value at your chosen horizon.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for educational and planning purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice. Consult a registered financial advisor before making housing decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the break-even year?
The break-even year is when the cumulative net cost of buying (accounting for equity built) falls below the cumulative cost of renting (accounting for the returns on the invested down payment). Before this year, renting is cheaper; after it, buying is cheaper.
Why does the calculator include opportunity cost on the down payment?
If you buy, you lock your down payment in property. If you rent, you could invest that same amount in equity mutual funds. The calculator models both: the buyer builds equity, the renter's invested down payment grows at your investment return rate. This makes the comparison genuinely fair.
What appreciation rate should I use for India?
Indian residential property has historically appreciated 5–8% annually in major metros, with significant variation by city and locality. Premium micro-markets can see 10%+ during boom periods; smaller cities can be flat. Use a rate that reflects your specific market.
Does this include income tax benefits on the home loan?
No — tax deductions (Section 24b interest deduction up to ₹2L, Section 80C principal up to ₹1.5L) are not modelled as they depend on your tax slab, income, and regime. In practice, tax benefits can improve the buying case meaningfully. Consult a CA for your specific situation.

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