Charlotte, North Carolina

Rent vs. buy calculator

Enter your own numbers. Every assumption below is visible and editable, and the defaults are deliberately conservative rather than tuned to favor buying.

Monthly rent Charlotte average as of August 2026 (Zumper).

Home price Charlotte median sale price, 3 months ending May 2026 (Redfin).

Down payment As a percent of home price.

Interest rate 30-year fixed, Freddie Mac PMMS, week of July 30, 2026.

Other assumptions (editable)

Annual home appreciation

Annual rent increase

Property tax rate

Homeowners insurance

Annual maintenance

Buying closing costs

Selling costs (if sold later)

Renters insurance (annual)

Your estimated break-even point

Calculating…

Before this year, renting has cost less overall once you account for buying's upfront and ongoing costs against the equity built. After it, owning has.

Year 1 monthly cost, buying

Year 1 monthly cost, renting

Year	Net cost of owning, if sold that year	Total cost of renting

What this does and does not include: owning cost includes principal, interest, property tax, insurance, maintenance, closing costs, and selling costs if you were to sell in that year, netted against equity built. Renting cost includes rent (increasing each year per the assumption above) and renters insurance. It does not model the investment return you would forgo by putting your down payment into a home instead of investing it, which would make renting relatively stronger over shorter holds. This is a planning estimate, not a guarantee of your actual costs.