Alpharetta Management Services

Rent vs Buy Calculator

Trying to decide whether to keep renting or make the move to buy a home? Use our interactive Rent vs Buy Calculator to compare the long-term costs of both options. This tool helps you analyze how much you could pay in rent versus the potential costs and equity gained when buying a home.

It will generate charts and you can download the report as well as email it.

How to Use the Calculator

Fill in the fields below with your current situation and expectations. Each input is explained to help you make accurate choices for your scenario.

Monthly Rent

Enter the amount you currently pay (or expect to pay) in monthly rent.
This will help us estimate your total rent payments over time.

Home Price

Estimate the purchase price of the home you’re considering.
This number will be used to calculate your mortgage, taxes, and appreciation.

Down Payment (%)

Enter the percentage of the home price you’d plan to put down upfront.
Typical down payments are 5%, 10%, or 20%. This affects your loan size and monthly payment.

Interest Rate (%)

Input the expected mortgage interest rate.
Use your lender’s quoted rate or an average current market rate (e.g., 6%).

Loan Term (years)

This is the length of your mortgage.
30 years is most common, but 15 or 20 years are also options.

Property Tax (%)

Enter your local property tax rate.
In Georgia, it’s typically around 1.25%, but this varies by county.

Home Insurance (annual)

Input an estimated annual home insurance cost.
This covers your home from hazards like fire, storms, or theft.

HOA Fees (monthly)

If applicable, enter any monthly Homeowners Association fees.
Leave this at 0 if you aren’t buying in a neighborhood with an HOA.

Years in Home

Estimate how long you plan to live in the home or rent.
This affects total rent vs ownership costs and equity growth.

Rent Increase (%/year)

How much do you expect rent to increase each year?
3% is a common average for many areas.

Home Appreciation (%/year)

Enter your expected annual home value growth.
This impacts how much equity you build over time.

Investment Return (%/year)

This represents the return you’d earn by investing your down payment instead of buying.
If you rent, your down payment could be invested—this assumes a yearly return (e.g., 5%).

Chart Mode

Choose between ‘Cumulative’ or ‘Annual’ views for your charts.

• Cumulative: Total cost over time

• Annual: Year-by-year breakdown

When You’re Ready

Click “Calculate” to see your results. You’ll get a breakdown of:

• Total cost of renting vs buying

• Home equity gained

• Mortgage and interest payments

• A break-even year (if applicable)

• Several charts to visualize cost and benefit over time

You can also download a PDF report or email it to yourself for reference or to share with a lender or financial advisor.