{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Dataset",
  "name": "Is it cheaper to rent or buy a house in 2026?",
  "description": "Month to month, renting is usually cheaper in 2026: a $420,000 home with 10% down at 6.5% costs about $3,280/mo to own (P&I, tax, insurance, maintenance) versus ~$2,200 rent. Over 7+ years, equity and appreciation can still make buying the better net-worth outcome.",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/answers/is-it-cheaper-to-rent-or-buy-a-house",
  "dateModified": "2026-10-01",
  "creator": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "RevenueLab",
    "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi"
  },
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "keywords": [
    "Rent vs Buy Net Worth Calculator",
    "Rent vs Buy Break-Even Calculator",
    "Price-to-Rent Ratio Calculator",
    "Down Payment Opportunity Cost Calculator"
  ],
  "distribution": {
    "@type": "DataDownload",
    "contentUrl": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/page.json?path=answers%2Fis-it-cheaper-to-rent-or-buy-a-house",
    "encodingFormat": "application/json"
  },
  "json": {
    "type": "answer",
    "question": "Is it cheaper to rent or buy a house in 2026?",
    "shortAnswer": "Month to month, renting is usually cheaper in 2026: a $420,000 home with 10% down at 6.5% costs about $3,280/mo to own (P&I, tax, insurance, maintenance) versus ~$2,200 rent. Over 7+ years, equity and appreciation can still make buying the better net-worth outcome.",
    "tableTitle": "First-month cost: owning vs renting (US median example)",
    "columns": [
      "Item",
      "Monthly",
      "Recoverable?"
    ],
    "rows": [
      {
        "label": "Mortgage P&I ($378,000 at 6.5%)",
        "value": "≈$2,389",
        "note": "Principal portion builds equity"
      },
      {
        "label": "Property tax (1.1%)",
        "value": "≈$385",
        "note": "No"
      },
      {
        "label": "Maintenance (1%)",
        "value": "≈$350",
        "note": "No"
      },
      {
        "label": "Insurance",
        "value": "≈$158",
        "note": "No"
      },
      {
        "label": "Total owning",
        "value": "≈$3,282",
        "note": "Excludes PMI"
      },
      {
        "label": "Comparable rent",
        "value": "$2,200",
        "note": "No"
      }
    ],
    "context": "Cheaper per month is not the same as better: about $340 of the first payment is principal you keep, and appreciation on the full home value accrues to the owner. The renter wins if they invest the ~$1,000 monthly difference plus the up-front cash consistently.",
    "methodology": "Assumptions (all editable in the calculators): $420,000 home (≈2025 US median, NAR), 10% down, 6.5% 30-year fixed (Freddie Mac PMMS range), 3.5%/yr appreciation and rent growth (long-run FHFA HPI / CPI shelter), 1.1% property tax, 1% maintenance, $1,900/yr insurance, 3% buy and 6% sell costs, 6%/yr investment return. Excludes mortgage interest deduction, capital-gains tax and PMI.",
    "dateModified": "2026-10-01",
    "relatedCalculators": [
      {
        "label": "Rent vs Buy Net Worth Calculator",
        "to": "/rent-vs-buy-net-worth-calculator"
      },
      {
        "label": "Rent vs Buy Break-Even Calculator",
        "to": "/rent-vs-buy-breakeven-calculator"
      },
      {
        "label": "Price-to-Rent Ratio Calculator",
        "to": "/price-to-rent-ratio-calculator"
      },
      {
        "label": "Down Payment Opportunity Cost Calculator",
        "to": "/down-payment-opportunity-cost-calculator"
      }
    ],
    "relatedReading": [
      {
        "label": "Is renting throwing money away?",
        "to": "/answers/is-renting-throwing-money-away"
      },
      {
        "label": "Break-even years",
        "to": "/answers/rent-vs-buy-break-even-how-many-years"
      }
    ]
  }
}