Example result based on the prefilled values.
Result
1 500,75
Continue your plan
Useful next calculations
When to use this calculator
- Before buying, renting, refinancing, or reviewing a property investment.
- When you want to compare cash flow, yield, growth, and ownership costs side by side.
- When you need a fast estimate before speaking to an agent, lender, or adviser.
- When you are assessing whether a rental property still makes financial sense after a mortgage rate change.
- When you want to compare the total cost of renting against owning over a five- or ten-year horizon.
A realistic South Africa planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Home Price (£)
R0.30
Deposit (£)
R400,000
Mortgage Rate (%)
R1,600,000
Mortgage Term (Years)
R1,600,000
After entering these figures, focus on result first and then rerun the tool with a more cautious assumption to understand the realistic range of outcomes rather than relying on a single estimate.
How to read your results
Result
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
This calculator models the total financial cost of renting versus buying a comparable property over a period you specify. For the buying scenario, it factors in mortgage repayments (interest and capital), upfront purchase costs, annual maintenance, and insurance. For the renting scenario, it models monthly rent increasing at an assumed annual rate, alongside the investment return you could theoretically earn on the capital you did not use as a deposit. The calculator does not predict future house prices or rental inflation — you enter your own assumptions to reflect your local market. It excludes emotional and lifestyle factors such as stability, flexibility, and personalisation rights. Results are most useful as a sensitivity exercise rather than a definitive financial forecast.
Common mistakes
- !Using an assumption that is not supported by a current local quote, bill, statement or official source.
- !Treating a generic estimate as a lender, provider, payroll or tax authority decision.
- !Mixing monthly and annual inputs without converting them consistently.
- !Forgetting location-specific taxes, fees, eligibility rules or payroll deductions where they apply.
- !Testing only one scenario instead of checking how a cautious assumption changes the result.
What to do next
- Run a second scenario with a cautious assumption so you can see the downside clearly.
- Compare the result with the related calculators below before making a decision.
- Check current local rules, eligibility and provider terms before applying or committing money.
- Keep a record of the assumptions so you can update the estimate when a quote, bill or pay figure changes.
- Use the result to prepare better questions for a lender, provider, adviser or employer rather than treating it as a final answer.
Frequently asked
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