Buy vs Rent Calculator

Adjust inputs below — results update instantly.

Quick scenarios:

Apartment price ? 350 000 €

Down payment ? 35 000 € (10%)

Loan amount: 315 000 €

Interest rate / yr ? 3.0%

Mortgage term ? 30 years

Maintenance fee (hoitovastike) ? 450 €/mo

Capital fee (pääomavastike) ? 0 €/mo

Home appreciation / yr ? 2.0%

One-time purchase costs ? 3 500 €

Annual repairs / maintenance ? 1 500 €/yr

Selling costs (% of home value) ? 4.0%

Using BSP / ASP loan ?

Finnish first-home scheme. State pays 70% of interest above 3.8% for 10 years.

Monthly rent ? 1 400 €/mo

Annual rent increase ? 2.0%/yr

Annual investment return ? 6.0%

Monthly investment amount

Each month, whoever's housing cost is lower invests the difference. If buying is more expensive (typical early on), the renter invests the gap. Once rent eventually exceeds the mortgage payment, the buyer invests their surplus. Both households spend the same total monthly outlay.

Capital gains tax (on portfolio) ? 30%

Initial investment: The renter invests the down payment + purchase costs 38 500 € from day one instead of using it to buy. If the buyer's monthly cost is ever lower than rent, the buyer invests the surplus on the same terms.

Annual inflation ? 2.0%

Time horizon

After 30 years — nominal net worth

🏠 Buying wins

by €212k (real: €117k)

Buy overtook rent+invest in Year 4

Buy — net worth ?

€619k

Equity (after sale) + portfolio

Real: €342k

Rent + Invest ?

€407k

Portfolio (after CGT)

Real: €225k

Monthly costs — first month ?

Mortgage payment 1 328 €

↳ interest (pure cost) 788 €

↳ principal (builds equity) 541 €

Maintenance fee (hoitovastike) 450 €

Repairs (monthly avg) 125 €

Total buy cost 1 903 €

Monthly rent 1 400 €

Difference (buy − rent) +503 €

Final figures — after 30 years

Buy scenario

Home value€637k

Remaining loan€0

Equity (gross)€637k

Equity (after sale) ? €612k

Buyer portfolio (after CGT) ? €7k

Net worth€619k

Interest paid€163k

Maintenance paid€221k

Total cash out€799k

Rent + invest

Portfolio (gross)€532k

Portfolio (after CGT) ? €407k

Net worth€407k

Total invested€116k

Investment gains€416k

Rent paid€690k

Nominal net worth comparison over 30 years

Same values adjusted for inflation (today's purchasing power)

What-if stress tests

How the result changes if one assumption gets worse. All other inputs remain the same.

+1% interest rate

4.0% rate

Buy €612k

Rent+invest €543k

🏠 Buy wins by €69k

+2% rent increase/yr

4.0% annual rise

Buy €941k

Rent+invest €287k

🏠 Buy wins by €654k

−2% investment return

4.0% return

Buy €619k

Rent+invest €256k

🏠 Buy wins by €363k

+1% inflation

3.0% inflation

Buy €612k

Rent+invest €480k

🏠 Buy wins by €132k

This calculator provides illustrative estimates only and does not constitute financial, tax, or investment advice. Actual loan terms, investment returns, housing prices, inflation, and housing costs may differ significantly from projections.