Rent vs Buy Calculator — India

Should you buy a home or keep renting and invest the difference? India's brutal stamp duty (5-8%), low rental yields (2-3%), and high equity returns make this a genuinely hard question. This calculator models both paths month by month.

Renting wins by

₹1.6Cr

%
%
years
years

Rental

Rental yield: 3.2%

%

Growth assumptions

%/yr
%/yr

Tax benefits (old regime)

Section 24(b) — interest deduction

Up to ₹2L/year on home loan interest

%
Transaction & ownership costs
%
%
%
%
%
%
%

Renting wins by

₹1,59,33,651

Renting + investing is better

Buy wealth

₹1,28,98,118

After 15 years

Rent wealth

₹2,88,31,769

After 15 years

Monthly EMI

₹52,069

Break-even year

N/A

Wealth over time

₹0₹25L₹50L₹75L₹1Cr₹1.3Cr₹1.5Cr₹1.8Cr₹2Cr₹2.3Cr₹2.5Cr₹2.8Cr₹3Cr0yr5yr10yr15yrYears
Buying
Renting + investing

Buy breakdown

Property value (after growth)₹1,55,91,961
Remaining mortgage-₹25,37,924
Selling costs-₹1,55,920
Net wealth₹1,28,98,118

Rent + invest breakdown

Initial corpus (invested)₹21,00,000
Total rent paid₹51,78,855
Investment pot₹2,88,31,769

Upfront costs of buying

Down payment₹15,00,000
Stamp duty₹4,50,000
Registration charges₹75,000
Brokerage₹75,000
Total upfront₹21,00,000

Total cost of ownership

Total EMI paid₹93,72,491
Total interest paid₹59,10,415
Maintenance₹16,18,392
Property tax₹4,85,518
Sec 24(b) tax saved-₹9,00,000

Section 24(b) saves you ₹9,00,000

Home loan interest deduction (up to ₹2L/year) at 30% tax bracket reduces your effective cost of borrowing. This benefit is only available under the old tax regime.

Renting is better by ₹1,59,33,651 over 15 years. If you rented and invested, you'd have ₹2,88,31,769, compared to ₹1,28,98,118 from selling after 15 years.

Note: This calculator models a simplified comparison. It does not account for Section 80C principal deduction (shared ₹1.5L limit), rental income tax if letting, Section 54 capital gains exemption on reinvestment, GST on under-construction property, or LTCG tax on equity MF gains. Investment returns are not guaranteed. Stamp duty varies by state and gender. Consult a financial advisor for personalised advice.