Housing payment
For a purchase, principal and interest plus the tax, CFD, HOA and insurance you enter. For a rental, the monthly rent and the other renter costs you add.
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Southern California · November 14, 2026
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Rent vs buy calculator for Southern California
This calculator puts a purchase and a rental side by side using the numbers you enter, including a default that starts from a published Inland Empire rent benchmark and an illustrated Ontario Ranch price. It is a planning estimate, not tax, legal or financial advice, and not a forecast of prices or rents.
Estimate · not financial advice
Rent vs buy calculator
Estimate only. Not tax, legal, financial or lending advice, not a loan quote, and not a forecast of home prices or rents. Mortgage insurance, income-tax effects and capital-gains tax are not included.
Who this is for, and when to use it
Renters who are deciding whether to buy, owners who are asking whether to sell and rent, and families comparing two cities can use this page. Use it when you have a real rent and a real or target purchase price, then replace every assumption you do not believe. It will not tell you what you should do; it only shows how the two paths compare under the numbers you typed.
Key terms
Opportunity cost
The planning return you type for money that would otherwise stay invested if you rented instead of using it as a down payment.
Closing and selling costs
Cash to get in and cash to get out of a purchase. They can change the comparison more than a small change in rent.
Growth rates
The optional price-growth and rent-growth figures are assumptions, not forecasts.
HUD rent benchmark
A published planning figure for a market-area rent, which can include utilities and is not a listing for a specific building.
How to use this, step by step
- Enter a purchase price, down payment, rate and the tax, CFD, HOA and insurance figures you actually expect.
- Enter a monthly rent you could really pay, not a best-case figure.
- Adjust closing costs, selling costs, and the optional growth and return assumptions, or leave the planning defaults and treat them as illustrations.
- Read both the monthly comparison and the longer-horizon result.
- Test a second scenario, such as a higher insurance cost or a later purchase date, before you treat the first run as the answer.
Costs, timelines, and common pitfalls
Buying has closing costs, maintenance, insurance and the risk of a special assessment or a tax increase; renting has annual increases, less control, and no equity. Mortgage insurance, income-tax effects and capital-gains tax are not included in this calculator, which can change a real comparison. A common pitfall is leaving the illustrated starting numbers in place and treating them as a quote for your building or your loan.
County-by-county notes
Orange County
Rents and prices vary sharply by city. Pair this tool with our rent-by-city guide and a local tax bill.
Los Angeles County
Insurance, HOA dues and local transfer or city taxes can move the purchase side more than a small rate change.
Riverside County
CFD special taxes in some newer communities should be included on the buy side; leaving them out favors buying too much.
San Bernardino County
The starting illustration uses an Ontario Ranch list price and official Park Place CFD figures, labeled as an example, plus a published Inland Empire rent benchmark.
San Diego County
Replace the defaults with a local rent and a local tax rate; coastal insurance and HOA costs can be material.
Before you start
- Have a realistic rent for the size of home you would actually rent.
- Have a purchase price, down payment, and either a lender quote or a clear note that the default rate is a national average.
- Include taxes, CFD, HOA and insurance on the buy side.
- Decide how you feel about the growth and investment-return assumptions; change them if they are not yours.
- Look at typical rents by city if you do not yet have a number.
A short real-estate example
Questions
Is this financial advice?
No. It is a calculator that uses the numbers you enter. A tax professional or financial advisor can look at your own situation.
Why does buying look cheaper or more expensive than I expected?
Small changes in rent, insurance, CFD taxes, closing costs or growth assumptions can flip the result. Test more than one set of numbers.
Are income-tax deductions included?
No. Mortgage interest and property-tax deductions depend on your tax return and current law, and they are omitted here.
Where can I see typical rents?
In our rent-by-city guide.
Does the default rate match today's lender quotes?
It is a recent national average, also shown on our daily mortgage-rates page, not a lock.
Should I wait if I might move in a few years?
Shorter holding periods make closing and selling costs more important. Change the horizon and the selling-cost assumption and look again.
Is the HUD rent a listing?
No. It is a published planning benchmark and can include utilities. Use a rent you could actually be offered.
Official resource links
We link only official government or court pages. Confirm the current version on the official site.
Questions about a specific home or transaction? Call or text 833-THIS-BROKER (833-842-7465), text us, or request a call. Dr. Hamid Rowshan, Choice of America. DRE #02004794, company DRE #02240008.
This page is general information for Southern California homeowners, buyers, sellers and renters. It is not legal, tax, insurance or lending advice, not a loan offer, and not a substitute for the official agency, court, lender or insurer that will handle your file. Rules, fees, maps and forms change. Confirm every figure and every filing with the official office before you act.