Canadian housing tool

Rent vs Buy Calculator

Compare the true cost of renting versus buying a home in Canada over time โ€” including CMHC insurance, land transfer tax, and opportunity cost of your down payment.

Buying

$
%

CMHC insurance required

%
$/yr

~1% of home value/year is typical across Canada

$/yr
% /yr

% of home value per year

% /yr

Affects land transfer tax calculation

Renting

$
%
$/yr

Investment Return

%

Return earned by investing the down payment and monthly savings if renting

CMHC Mortgage Insurance Required

With a 10% down payment, you must pay $13,950 in CMHC insurance, added to your mortgage balance.

Land Transfer Tax

In Ontario, you will owe approximately $6,475 in land transfer tax at closing.

Mortgage Stress Test

Canadian lenders require you to qualify at the higher of your contract rate + 2% or 5.25%. Your stress-test rate would be 7.50%.

Renting wins

Renting is cheaper for the entire 25-year period

With these inputs, investing the down payment and monthly savings produces better financial results than home ownership.

Home Value (Yr 25)

$1,046,889

Equity (Yr 25)

$1,046,889

Investment Portfolio (Yr 25)

$1,356,931

Break-even Year

N/A

Cumulative Net Cost Over Time

Total cost minus accumulated wealth (equity or portfolio). Lower is better.

Year-by-Year Comparison

YearBuy MonthlyBuy Total CostEquityRent MonthlyRent Total CostPortfolioBuy NetRent Net
1$3,790$101,958$60,025$2,025$24,300$82,561$41,933-$58,261
5$3,843$285,435$165,852$2,276$128,919$200,625$119,584-$71,706
10$3,917$518,624$323,971$2,635$278,133$385,773$194,653-$107,640
15$4,004$756,714$517,301$3,050$450,874$625,981$239,412-$175,107
20$4,104$1,000,486$754,575$3,532$650,889$940,698$245,911-$289,809
25$4,221$1,250,845$1,046,889$4,091$882,522$1,356,931$203,956-$474,408

Net cost = total spending minus accumulated wealth (home equity or investment portfolio). Lower is better. Results are estimates for educational purposes only. Consult a financial professional for personalized advice.