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Rent vs Buy Calculator

The classic question — is your rent "wasted"? Depends on appreciation, opportunity cost on down payment and your time horizon. We compute the net cost of both paths.

₹1,50,00,000
₹30,00,000
8.5%
20 yrs
₹40,000
7.0%
5.0%
11.0%

If you invest down payment instead.

10 yrs

Buy

EMI₹1,04,139
Total outgo (EMIs + DP)₹1,54,96,655
Equity at horizon₹1,84,33,419
Net cost-₹29,36,765

Rent

Total rent paid₹66,31,895
Down payment invested₹85,18,263
Net cost₹11,13,632

Buy wins by ₹40,50,397 over 10 years.

FAQ

When does buying definitively beat renting?

Beyond 7-10 years horizon, with property appreciation ≥ rent escalation, when down payment doesn't crowd out emergency fund. In metros with 30+ price-to-rent ratio, the case is weaker.

Is rent really "dead money"?

No — it's the cost of optionality and zero capital lock-up. The down payment if invested at 11-12% can outpace property appreciation in stagnant markets.

What about emotional value of owning?

Real and not captured in this calculator. Stability, customisation, neighbourhood ties matter beyond IRR. The right answer for many is buy when financially close to break-even.