Wondering if it makes more financial sense to rent or buy a home in 2026?
With high home prices, changing interest rates, and endless opinions online, it’s easy to get confused by oversimplified advice like “rent is throwing money away” or “buy as soon as you can.” The truth is, the rent vs. buy decision isn’t that simple — and the answer depends entirely on your numbers.
 
That’s why I built this Rent vs. Buy Calculator to help you compare the true cost of renting versus buying, including opportunity cost, unrecoverable expenses, and realistic assumptions — so you can make a decision based on facts, not emotion.
 
Features of the Template:
Side-by-Side Rent vs. Buy Analysis - Compares the total unrecoverable cost of renting versus owning a home, so you’re not just looking at rent versus a mortgage payment.
Opportunity Cost Built In - Accounts for what your down payment and extra cash could earn if invested elsewhere (e.g. stocks or conservative investments), so you can see the real trade-off of tying up capital in real estate.
Mortgage Breakdown - Separates principal and interest payments, helping you clearly see which portion of your mortgage is truly “lost” versus what builds equity.
Time Horizon Scenarios - Analyze short-term vs. long-term ownership by adjusting how long you plan to stay in the home — showing why buying often only makes sense over longer holding periods.
Fully Automated Calculations - Once you input your assumptions (home price, rent, interest rate, appreciation, investment returns, etc.), the template automatically calculates outcomes and updates all scenarios instantly.
Clear Results Summary - A clean summary table shows whether renting or buying is financially better for your situation, and by how much.
 
Why This Template?
Go Beyond the Mortgage vs. Rent Myth - Most comparisons miss major costs like interest, taxes, fees, and opportunity cost. This template captures the full picture.
Custom to Your Situation - Change assumptions like home price, down payment, interest rates, rent increases, investment returns, and time horizon — no generic advice here.
Make a Confident, Data-Backed Decision - Know when buying actually makes sense — and when renting might be the smarter move financially.
Save Time (and Costly Mistakes) - Instead of guessing or relying on headlines, use a structured tool to stress-test one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make.
 
For a Step-by-Step Live Tutorial, watch the YouTube video here.