Build your ownership.
The principal portion of a repayment mortgage reduces the loan balance. Your equity also changes with the property's value.
Thumani / The comparison desk
Rent today.
Buy tomorrow?
Put both possibilities on the same page. Compare your monthly commitment, the upfront cash and the longer view, using figures that fit your plans.
Compare my optionsYour numbers, side by side
Rent vs buy calculator
The starting figures are examples, not current market rates or a lending offer. Change them to match the property and costs you are considering.
Enable JavaScript to use the calculator, or discuss your rent and purchase figures with our team.
Talk through the numbersYOUR 10-YEAR COMPARISON
Your comparison
—Adjust the example figures to explore your options.
Projected wealth over time
BuyingRenting
- Monthly mortgage
- — Principal + interest
- Current monthly rent
- — Annual rent ÷ 12
- Initial monthly ownership cost
- — Mortgage + upkeep + other owner costs
- Upfront buying cash
- — Down payment + purchase costs
The longer view
The same assumptions at 5, 10 and 20 years, beyond the selected period where applicable.
How to read this comparison
Buying: estimated home value minus the outstanding loan and estimated selling costs, plus invested unused starting cash and monthly savings.
Renting: both options start with equal cash: the larger of upfront buying costs and non-refundable tenant setup costs. Each invests the cash left after its own upfront costs. The cheaper option also invests the monthly housing-cost difference, including the tenant fees you enter.
Mortgage: a fixed-rate repayment loan, calculated monthly. A 0% rate and a full cash purchase are supported. Mortgage payments stop when the loan is repaid. The mortgage term is capped at 25 years, or 15 years for the labelled ADCB non-resident example. The comparison horizon can continue for 30 years after repayments end. This model assumes immediate occupation of a ready home.
Costs: rent changes once per year; home value and savings compound monthly. Maintenance follows estimated home value. Other owner costs stay fixed. Selling costs are deducted at every comparison endpoint.
Refundable rent deposits and the return lost while they are held are excluded. Enter non-refundable tenant fees and moving costs in the tenant fields. Include applicable transaction taxes/VAT in your total purchase/selling cost budgets and financing insurance in owner costs; do not count the same charge twice. Future rates and values may change. This is an illustrative model, not personal financial advice or mortgage eligibility approval.
Year-by-year figures
| Year | Home value | Loan balance | Buying wealth | Renting wealth | Buying minus renting |
|---|
Think beyond the monthly payment
Why buying can be
better than renting.
Ownership can offer more than a place to live. The value of those benefits depends on your budget, plans and how long you expect to stay.
Discuss your financing optionsPlan for a home of your own.
Ownership can give you continuity and room to shape your home, within the property's rules and your ongoing responsibilities.
Take a longer view.
A longer stay can spread upfront transaction costs over more years. The calculator helps you explore that trade-off.
Keep your plans in the picture
The right move should fit your life.
Renting may suit your plans when flexibility, a shorter stay or keeping upfront cash available matters most.
Buying needs a wider budget: consider the down payment, transaction costs, upkeep and a buffer for changes in your circumstances.
Talk through your situationHaven't found the right property?
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the search for you.
Tell us the areas you like, the home you have in mind and a budget that feels comfortable. Thumani brings property and financing guidance into the same conversation.
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Useful answers
Before you decide.
A few things to know about the figures and the next steps.
How does this rent vs buy calculator work?
It models a repayment mortgage, rent and ownership costs month by month. It compares estimated home equity after selling costs with savings that could be invested while renting. Both sides invest any monthly cost advantage.
Does a lower mortgage payment mean buying is cheaper?
Not by itself. Buying also involves upfront costs and ongoing upkeep. The monthly ownership figure includes your maintenance and other owner-cost assumptions, while the projected wealth figures include the upfront cash and estimated selling costs.
Are property growth and savings returns guaranteed?
No. They are editable assumptions. You can enter negative annual changes to explore a fall in values or returns. Actual outcomes, rates and charges may differ.
Can I compare a cash purchase or a 0% mortgage?
Yes. Set the down payment equal to the property price for a cash purchase. At a 0% mortgage rate the loan is repaid in equal principal instalments over the selected mortgage term.
Does the calculator confirm my borrowing eligibility?
No. It is a planning tool. Your lender will assess eligibility and the applicable mortgage terms. Talk to our team about your circumstances before relying on any assumed down payment or rate.
What should I do after comparing the options?
Review the property-specific costs and your preferred areas, then discuss your budget and financing questions with our team. You can download your comparison to keep the assumptions alongside your results.