Rent vs Buy · Updated June 2026
Rent vs buy in Seattle
Seattle in 2026: a typical centre apartment costs about $723,000 to buy ($8,500/m²) or $2,500/month to rent. With 20% down at 6.3%, the mortgage runs $3,580/month – but the true owner cost is $5,712/month once property tax (0.84%), maintenance, insurance, and HOA fees are added. On our 10-year model, renting and investing the difference wins for the entire period modeled.
The price-to-rent ratio tells the structural story: Seattle's ratio of 24 is high – markets above ~22 historically favour renters who invest the difference. A renter who invests the $3,212/month difference plus the $144,600 down payment at 7% builds $781,735 over 10 years versus the buyer's $460,612.
Rent vs buy calculator · 2026
Verdict at your horizon
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- Mortgage P&I
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- Owner all-in /mo
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- Cash needed upfront
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- PMI
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- Buyer net worth
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- Renter net worth
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- Interest paid by then
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- Price-to-rent ratio
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Net worth year by year
Renter invests the down payment + closing costs + monthly difference at your chosen return. PMI of 0.55%/yr is added automatically while the down payment is under 20% and equity is below 20%. Price-to-rent under ~15 usually favors buying; over ~20 favors renting.
Key insights
Key insights
- Typical buy $723,000 vs rent $2,500/mo – price-to-rent ratio 24.
- All-in owner cost: $5,712/mo vs $2,500 rent.
- 10-year outcome: buyer $460,612 vs renter $781,735.
- No breakeven within 10 years at 6.3% – renting wins this window.
- Income check: owner cost wants ≥ $17,309/mo net income.
| Year | Buyer net worth | Renter net worth (invested) | Buying advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $124,238 | $212,716 | -$88,478 |
| 3 | $188,568 | $314,157 | -$125,589 |
| 5 | $258,405 | $428,350 | -$169,945 |
| 7 | $334,266 | $557,046 | -$222,780 |
| 10 | $460,612 | $781,735 | -$321,123 |
The Seattle numbers under the model
Inputs (2026, adjustable in the calculator): purchase $723,000, 20% down, 6.3% 30-year fixed, rent $2,500/month growing 3%/year, home appreciation 3.5%/year, market return 7%/year, 0.84% property tax, 1% maintenance, ~7% selling costs at exit. The buyer's wealth lives in equity (principal + appreciation minus exit costs); the renter's lives in the invested down payment and monthly differences compounding.
Early years punish buyers everywhere: at 6.3%, roughly 85% of the first year's payments is pure interest, while ~3% buying costs and ~7% future selling costs must amortise before equity wins. That's why short horizons (under 8 years here) favour renting in Seattle regardless of headlines.
What flips the answer
Rate sensitivity: at 4.8% the breakeven moves into buying territory; at 7.3% renting wins even longer. Down-payment opportunity cost matters just as much – if your alternative to buying is cash at 2%, not stocks at 7%, buying improves sharply.
Stability is the unpriced variable: owners are insulated from Seattle's rent growth ($2,500 today is $3,360 in 10 years at 3%) but pay dearly to move early. The honest rule for Seattle: buy when your horizon comfortably exceeds 10 years and the payment fits under 33% of net income – $17,309/month of take-home for this scenario.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to rent or buy in Seattle right now?
On 2026 numbers ($723,000 purchase, $2,500 rent, 6.3% rates), renting and investing the difference wins for the entire period modeled. Horizons shorter than that favour renting; longer ones favour buying – run your own inputs above.
How much do I need to buy in Seattle?
For a typical $723,000 purchase: $144,600 down (20%) plus ~3% closing costs ≈ $166,290 cash, and an all-in carrying cost of $5,712/month – comfortably supported by $17,309+/month of net income.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Seattle?
About 24 ($723,000 ÷ $30,000 annual rent). Above ~22 renting+investing historically wins; below ~16 buying does; between is horizon-dependent.
Does the model include all ownership costs?
Yes: mortgage at 6.3%, 0.84% property tax, 1%/year maintenance, insurance, $350/month HOA, ~3% buying and ~7% selling costs – the lines most "rent is throwing money away" arguments skip.
What if rates fall?
Each 1-point rate drop cuts the payment ~$368/month on this purchase and pulls breakeven earlier. Buying at high rates with a refinance option has asymmetric upside – but never underwrite the purchase on the refi you might get.
Keep exploring
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