This calculator compares the total financial cost of renting a property against buying a comparable one over a period you choose. It includes the one-off costs of buying (Stamp Duty Land Tax, solicitor fees, survey), ongoing costs (mortgage interest, maintenance), and the opportunity cost of the deposit if you were to rent and invest that money instead. All assumptions are labelled. You can adjust them to reflect your view of the market.

Property details

Property value (£)

Monthly rent for a comparable property (£)

Deposit size (£)

Are you a first-time buyer?

Yes No

Mortgage interest rate (% per year)

Time horizon (years)

Assumptions (you can change these)

Annual property price appreciation (%)

Annual investment return on deposit if renting (%)

Annual maintenance cost (% of property value)

Buying costs

Solicitor fees (£)

Survey fee (£)

How to use this tool

Enter the property value you are considering buying and the monthly rent for a comparable property.
Set your deposit size, mortgage rate, and time horizon.
Adjust the assumption figures (property appreciation, investment return, maintenance rate) if the defaults do not reflect your situation.
Your results will show the net financial position under each scenario.

Understanding your results

The calculator returns a net wealth figure for each option after your chosen time horizon. Net wealth for buying is the equity in your property minus all money spent on transaction costs, mortgage interest, and maintenance. Net wealth for renting is the value of your invested deposit minus total rent paid. A higher net wealth figure means that option leaves you with more money at the end of the period, given the assumptions entered.

Changing the assumptions changes the outcome. A higher property appreciation rate favours buying. A higher investment return rate favours renting. The calculator does not recommend one option. It shows the financial implications of each, given what you enter.

Legal context

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) applies to residential property purchases in England and Northern Ireland. Standard rates from April 2025: 0% on the first £125,000, 2% on £125,001 to £250,000, 5% on £250,001 to £925,000, 10% on £925,001 to £1.5 million, and 12% above £1.5 million. First-time buyers pay 0% on the first £300,000 and 5% on £300,001 to £500,000; properties above £500,000 use standard rates. Buyers in Scotland pay Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and buyers in Wales pay Land Transaction Tax (LTT) under different rate structures. This calculator uses England and Northern Ireland SDLT rates. Source: HMRC SDLT guidance, 2026.

This calculator gives a financial estimate. It does not constitute financial or property advice.

Rent vs Buy Calculator