Should I buy or rent?
Compare the long-term net worth of buying a home versus renting and investing the difference. See your break-even point and which option builds more wealth for your situation. No sign-up needed — your inputs and saved comparisons stay in your browser.
Step 1 of 3
The Home You'd Buy
The price of the home you're considering buying
How much cash you'd put down upfront (this is also what a renter would invest instead)
Current average NZ home loan rates: 5.5-7.5%
Longer terms mean lower repayments but more interest overall
Results update live as you adjust the sliders — everything stays in your browser.
Saved comparisons
View all on dashboardRun a comparison and choose “Save” to keep it here. Saved comparisons live in this browser only — no account required.
Buy vs Rent
Upfront Cash
Monthly Mortgage
Total Cash Spent
Net Worth at Horizon
Upfront Investment
Monthly Rent
Total Rent Paid
Net Worth at Horizon
Net Worth Over Time
Best Time to Buy
Buy now
Buying right away is your best move here — waiting to save a bigger deposit first doesn’t pay off under your current assumptions.
Assumes every dollar saved while renting goes toward your deposit the day you buy, capped at the home's price at that time.
Key Findings
Break-even Point
Year 6
When buying overtakes renting-and-investing in net worth
Net Worth Gap at Horizon
$651,307.82
💰 In favour of buying
Monthly Outlay
$3,792.41 mortgage
vs $2,816.67 rent
Total Cash Spent
$2,185,472.85 buying
vs $1,608,049.05 renting
Our Recommendation
Buying comes out ahead — your net worth overtakes renting and investing the difference in year 6, ending $651308 higher after 30 years (10 before retirement, 20 in retirement).
Informational only, not financial advice. Figures are pre-tax and don't account for rules like the bright-line test.
Funding Retirement: Stay, Sell, or Reverse Mortgage?
Stay & Own comes out ahead for your retirement years, leaving an estimated $3,144,213 at the end of your horizon.
Stay & Own
Keep living in the home for the rest of the horizon
Sell & Rent
⚠️ Runs out — spending outpaces what this strategy can sustain
Sell at retirement, invest the proceeds, rent from then on
Reverse Mortgage
⚠️ Runs out — spending outpaces what this strategy can sustain
Stay put, draw down equity via a compounding loan