For tenants and home buyers
Rent or buy?
Compare renting with buying, year by year. You see the net monthly cost of both, what you spend in total, your wealth after 10, 20 and 30 years and after how many years buying comes out ahead. The tax rules are those of 2026; increases, maintenance and return are assumptions you set yourself.
Rent or buy
| Breakdown | Amount |
|---|
Wealth and costs over time
| After | Wealth renting | Wealth buying | Costs renting | Costs buying |
|---|
Wealth renting = your own savings plus what you save each month compared with buying, with return. Wealth buying = home value minus remaining mortgage, plus what you save each month compared with renting. Costs = money that is gone: rent, or buyer’s costs, interest, maintenance and owner’s costs after tax relief. Repayment does not count as a cost, because it is part of your wealth. Selling costs (estate agent) when you move are not included.
Explanation: rent or buy calculator
Whether buying or renting is cheaper depends mainly on how long you stay, the interest rate and how much rent and home values rise. When buying you pay one-off buyer’s costs and every year interest, maintenance and owner’s costs; the repayment builds up as wealth in your home. When renting the rent is gone, but you keep your own savings and possibly part of your monthly budget to save.
This calculator compares both year by year using the 2026 tax rules: deemed rental value, mortgage interest relief at no more than 37.56%, the Wet Hillen, transfer tax and NHG. The break-even point is the first year in which buying gives you more wealth than renting.
Frequently asked questions
After how many years is buying cheaper than renting?
That depends on your situation. Because of the buyer’s costs, a buyer starts behind and catches up when rent is higher than net interest and maintenance, or when the home rises in value. The calculator shows the year in which that happens, using your own assumptions.
Does the repayment count as housing costs?
Not as a cost: repaying is saving in your own home. It is included in your net monthly payment, and the remaining debt is subtracted from the home value in the wealth figure.
Why do you include a return on savings?
As a tenant you keep your own savings. For a fair comparison the calculator lets that money, and the monthly difference, earn a return you choose yourself. Box 3 tax is not included.
Note: indication, not mortgage advice
This calculation is an estimate, not mortgage advice; the lender decides. The result depends heavily on assumptions about rent increases, value increases, maintenance, interest and return; the future may turn out differently. Assumptions: you live in the home yourself, annuity mortgage, income below state pension age and constant over the years. No rights can be derived from this result.
Something wrong or missing? Let us know
Sources & values used
| Item | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Deemed rental value (eigenwoningforfait) 2026 | 0.35% of the WOZ value for €75,000 – €1,350,000; above that €4,725 + 2.35% of the excess | Belastingdienst |
| Mortgage interest deduction rate 2026 | 35.75% in bracket 1 (up to €38,883), 37.56% above that (also limited to 37.56% in bracket 3) | Belastingdienst |
| Wet Hillen 2026 | if interest is lower than the deemed rental value, 28.133% of the difference is taxed (deduction 71.867%) | Belastingdienst |
| Transfer tax 2026 | 2% if you will live there yourself; 0% with the starter’s exemption (aged 18–35, home at most €555,000) | Belastingdienst |
| NHG 2026 | mortgage up to €470,000; one-off guarantee fee 0.4% | NHG |
| Mortgage | annuity, monthly; loan = purchase price − (own savings − buyer’s costs), at most the purchase price | calculation rule |
| Later years | deemed rental value, deduction rates and Hillen percentage stay at 2026 levels; the WOZ value rises with the home value increase | simplification |
| Rent increase, value increase, maintenance, return, interest rate, other buyer’s costs | your own input (defaults 3%, 3%, 1%, 2%, 4%, €4,000) | assumption |
| Not included | box 3, rent allowance, selling costs, inflation, rate reset after the fixed-rate period, state pension age | note |
- Belastingdienst – Deemed rental value (eigenwoningforfait) 2026 (table: 0.35% for WOZ €75,000 – €1,350,000) (in Dutch)
- Belastingdienst – Limit on mortgage interest relief for high incomes (2026: at most 37.56%) (in Dutch)
- Belastingdienst – No or a small home loan (Wet Hillen, 2026: 71.867%) (in Dutch)
- Dutch Tax Administration – When can you get the starter exemption (transfer tax)? (home value 2026 at most €555,000; otherwise 2% if you live there yourself) (in Dutch)
- Dutch government – When do I get an exemption from transfer tax? (2026: 18 to 35 years, up to €555,000; otherwise 2% if you live there yourself) (in Dutch)
- NHG – NHG limit for 2026 set at €470,000 (with energy-saving measures €498,200) (in Dutch)
- Dutch government – NHG limit rises to €470,000, guarantee fee remains 0.4% (in Dutch)
Checked on 14 October 2026.