Rent vs buy
Type the price, deposit, mortgage rate and rent. It compares the cost of buying with renting over the years you choose, using the same model as Calm Money Home.
Estimate · figures checked 23 Oct 2026 · guidance, not advice · sources
Good to know
- Legal, search, survey and mortgage fees are Calm Money Home's typical figures. Type your own to use those.
- Selling costs aren't counted, and the mortgage rate stays the same.
Questions
Why isn't the whole mortgage payment a cost?
Part of each payment repays the loan, and that part is yours in the home. Only the interest is a cost.
What goes in running costs?
What owning adds: maintenance (1% of the price a year to start), and any service charge, ground rent or buildings insurance. Bills you'd pay either way are left out of both sides.
Does it agree with Calm Money Home?
Yes, it's the same model. Rent rises are extra here; with none, the two give the same answer.
Where the figures come from
The rates in force, checked 23 October 2026:
- Stamp Duty Land Tax rates, England and Northern Ireland
- Land and Buildings Transaction Tax rates, Scotland
- Additional Dwelling Supplement: 8% in Scotland
- Land Transaction Tax rates, Wales
- Land Registry fees
Related tools
Cost each place
Calm Money Home uses this rent vs buy model, with council tax, bills and moving costs for each place you're looking at.
Calm Money Home: UK Moving Costs · £10.79 on Etsy