Buy vs Invest

Most rent-vs-buy calculators ask the wrong question. Renting isn't the alternative to buying — renting and investing the differenceis. This tool compares both, month by month, over the time horizon you choose.

You'll work through six short steps covering the property, your mortgage, purchase costs, ongoing ownership costs, the rent-and-invest alternative, and your time horizon. At the end you get a verdict, a net-wealth chart over time, and a summary of the numbers behind it.

The model uses real UK SDLT bands (England & Northern Ireland), monthly mortgage amortisation, and exit-tax handling for ISA, GIA, and SIPP wrappers. It's a comparison tool — not financial advice, and not a recommendation either way.