Rent vs. Buy Calculator

Property & Loan

ZIP code

Used to estimate your state's average property tax rate. Always editable below.

Home price ($)

Down payment (%)

Down payment ($)

Interest rate (% APR)

Loan term 30 years 20 years 15 years 10 years

VA loan Removes PMI at any down payment. The VA funding fee is not modeled here; it varies by usage and down payment and can be financed into the loan.

Ownership Costs

Property tax rate (% of value / yr)

Statewide average estimate. County and city rates vary; verify with your county assessor.

Home insurance ($/yr)

HOA dues ($/mo)

Maintenance reserve (% of home value / yr)

1.0%

The commonly recommended range is 1–2% of home value per year. Older homes trend toward the high end.

PMI rate (% of loan / yr)

Applies only when down payment is under 20% and VA loan is unchecked. Drops off automatically in the model once you reach 20% equity.

Renting Side

Monthly rent ($)

Renter's insurance ($/mo)

Assumptions

Years you'll stay 3 years 5 years 7 years 10 years 15 years 30 years

Home appreciation (%/yr)

Rent growth (%/yr)

Investment return (%/yr)

Buying closing costs (%)

Selling costs (%)

Investment return models what the renter earns by investing the down payment, closing costs, and any monthly savings instead of buying.

BAH considerations For active duty, Guard, and Reserve on qualifying orders. Compare your housing allowance against both sides of this decision.

Rate / rank (pay grade) E-1E-2E-3E-4 E-5E-6E-7E-8E-9 W-1W-2W-3W-4W-5 O-1EO-2EO-3E O-1O-2O-3O-4O-5 O-6O-7O-8O-9O-10

Dependency status With dependents Without dependents

Monthly BAH ($)

BAH is set by duty station ZIP, pay grade, and dependency status, and rates update every January. Look up your exact figure on the official DoD BAH Rate Lookup, then enter it above.

Monthly Cost, Side by Side

Own · all-in

$0

per month, year one

Rent · all-in

$0

per month, year one

PITI	$0
Principal (month one)	$0
Interest (month one)	$0
Taxes	$0
Insurance	$0
PMI	$0
+ HOA	$0
+ Maintenance reserve	$0
Total monthly cost of ownership	$0

The Long Game

Buyer line: home equity after estimated selling costs. Renter line: down payment + closing costs invested, plus any monthly savings versus owning, compounding at your investment return rate. Where the gold line crosses above is your breakeven.

BAH Insights

How to read this tool. Property tax defaults are statewide effective-rate estimates; your county and municipality set the real number, so verify locally before committing. BAH figures must come from the official DoD BAH Rate Lookup and are keyed to your duty station ZIP, not where you choose to live. This calculator does not model mortgage interest tax deductions (the standard deduction makes them irrelevant for most households), VA funding fees, or PCS timing risk. It is a planning aid, not financial advice. Rates and rules current as of 2026; BAH tables update each January.