Global Rent vs Buy Calculator
Compare renting vs buying in any city. Factors country-specific mortgage rules, transaction costs, capital controls, and property rights — not just a US 30-year fixed.
Your Situation
Currency: EUR · Tx costs: 4.5% · Rate: 2.5%
Current rent or market rent for target property
Typical price for property you want to buy
Max LTV in Netherlands: 100%
Break-even typically 5–10 years in most markets
What your down payment would earn invested
Break-Even Analysis: Amsterdam
Buying becomes cheaper than renting after 14 years.
At 10 years: Buy €222,116 vs Rent €185,754. You save €36,362 by renting.
Cost Over Time
Compare: Amsterdam vs Berlin vs Lisbon
| Metric | 🇳🇱 Amsterdam | 🇩🇪 Berlin | 🇵🇹 Lisbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Break-even (years) | 14 | Never | 12 |
| Transaction costs | 4.5% | 9.5% | 10.0% |
| Mortgage rate | 2.5% | 3.2% | 3.5% |
| Max LTV | 100% | 80% | 80% |
| Property rights | 92/100 | 85/100 | 78/100 |
| Rent control | Strict | Moderate | None |
| Capital controls | None | None | None |
Actions
Complete Guide to Renting vs Buying Property Internationally
A €500,000 apartment in Amsterdam costs €22,500 to buy (4.5% transaction costs). The same apartment in Berlin costs €47,500 (9.5%). In Lisbon, €50,000 (10%). These upfront costs — invisible in most rent vs buy calculators — add 2–4 years to the break-even point. This guide explains how to calculate the true break-even, why mortgage rules vary by country, and when capital controls or property rights risks make renting the only sane choice.
Why Transaction Costs Dominate the Decision
In the US, transaction costs are 2–3% (seller pays agent, low stamp duty). In Germany, they're 9–11%. On a €500,000 property, that's €45,000 vs €15,000. The break-even point extends 2–3 years just from this difference.
| Country | Transaction Cost % | On €500k | Break-even Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 4.5% | €22,500 | +1.2 years |
| Germany | 9.5% | €47,500 | +2.8 years |
| Spain | 10–15% | €50,000–75,000 | +3–5 years |
| UK | 2–14% | €10,000–70,000 | +0.5–4 years |
| Japan | 6% | €30,000 | +1.5 years |
| UAE | 6.5% | €32,500 | +1.8 years |
When to Use This Tool vs. Alternatives
| Tool | Best For | Limitation | Our Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| NerdWallet Rent vs Buy | US cities | US-only (30yr fixed, no stamp duty) | 50+ countries, local mortgage rules |
| NYT Rent vs Buy | US cities, long-form | US-only, no capital controls | International, capital controls, property rights |
| Numbeo Property Prices | Price comparison | No rent vs buy calculation | Integrated with transaction costs |
| Local Bank Calculators | Specific country | Single country, biased | Neutral, multi-country comparison |
| Expat Forums | Anecdotes | No calculation, outdated | Data-driven, updated quarterly |
Interactive Scenarios
What If You Move from Amsterdam to Berlin?
You rent in Amsterdam for €2,000/month. You're offered a job in Berlin. Should you buy there or keep renting?
Amsterdam: €500k, 4.5% transaction costs, 2.5% mortgage, break-even ~6.8 years. Berlin: €400k, 9.5% transaction costs, 3.2% mortgage, break-even ~9.2 years. Berlin rent ≈ €1,500/month. For stays under 7 years rent in Berlin; for stays over 10 years buy in Berlin.
What If You're a Foreign Buyer in Thailand?
You want a Bangkok condo. You're not Thai. What restrictions apply?
Foreigners can own condos (not land) within the 49% foreign quota per building. Repatriating sale proceeds needs proof of original FX import. Property rights score 68/100. The calculator flags foreign quota risk, repatriation difficulty, and currency risk. Default recommendation: rent unless staying 15+ years.
What If Interest Rates Rise 2%?
You buy in Amsterdam at 2.5% fixed for 10 years. After 10 years, rates are 4.5%. What happens?
Refinance bumps the monthly payment from €1,850 to ~€2,150 (€320k remaining). Rent in year 10 is also ~€2,450/month. Buy still wins, but the 15-year margin narrows by ~€25,000.
Mortgage Rules by Country
| Country | Max LTV | Typical Term | Fixed Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 100% | 30 yrs | 10–20 yrs | NHG guarantee up to €435k |
| Germany | 80% | 25–30 yrs | 10 yrs | Grunderwerbsteuer 3.5–6.5% |
| UK | 95% | 25–35 yrs | 2–5 yrs | Stamp duty progressive 0–12% |
| Spain | 80% | 20–30 yrs | Variable | Floor clause risk |
| France | 80% | 20–25 yrs | Full term | PTZ zero-interest (first-time) |
| Japan | 80–100% | 35 yrs | Full term | Ultra-low 0.5–1.0% |
| Singapore | 75% (citizens) | 25–30 yrs | 2–3 yrs | TDSR 55%, ABSD for foreigners |
Capital Controls and Foreign Buyer Restrictions
- Thailand: foreign condo <49% per building; foreigners cannot own land.
- Switzerland: cantonal quotas, annual permit, 3–5 year holding.
- New Zealand: Overseas Investment Act restrictions, 12-month bright-line test.
- China: foreigners need 1+ year work permit, single property, 5-year hold.
- India: no agricultural land; repatriation >$1M needs RBI approval.
- UAE: freehold in designated areas, 4% DLD fee.
- Mexico: restricted zone (100km border/50km coast) requires fideicomiso.
Methodology & Data Sources
- Numbeo: rent indices, price-to-rent ratios, 500+ cities.
- National central banks: mortgage rates, LTV rules, typical terms.
- World Bank B-READY: property registration costs and property rights index.
- IMF AREAER: capital controls and FX restrictions.
- OECD Housing Affordability Database: price-to-income, rent burdens.
- National tax authorities: stamp duty, transfer taxes, notary schedules.
Common questions
The calculator models total cost of ownership vs total cost of renting over your expected stay. For buying: price + transaction costs (stamp duty, notary, agent, legal) + mortgage interest + maintenance + insurance − property appreciation + opportunity cost of capital. For renting: monthly rent × months + rent inflation − investment returns on the down payment you didn't spend. The break-even point is when cumulative buy cost drops below cumulative rent cost.
50+ countries with full mortgage and transaction cost data: Western Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and select emerging markets. 200+ cities with rent indices, local price data, and central-bank mortgage rates.
Netherlands ~4.5%, Germany ~9–11%, Spain ~10–15%, UK 2–14% (progressive stamp duty), Japan ~6%, UAE ~6.5%, US ~2–3%. The calculator auto-loads these by country.
Restrictions on moving money cross-border. They show up as foreign-buyer caps (Thailand condo quota), conversion limits (China $50k/yr), or repatriation rules (India >$1M needs RBI approval). The calculator flags affected countries.
Your down payment + closing costs could be invested instead. At 5% real return, €100k grows to ~€163k over 10 years. The calculator subtracts that foregone return from the buy side and adds it to the rent side.
US calculators assume 30-year fixed, no stamp duty, and seller-paid agent. We model country-specific mortgage products (Germany 10-yr fixed then refinance, UK 2–5 yr fixed, Japan 35-yr ultra-low), transaction costs from 0.5% to 15%, World Bank property-rights scores, IMF capital controls, and rent controls (Berlin, Paris, Stockholm).
Yes. Add up to 3 cities. The comparison shows break-even years, transaction costs, mortgage rates, max LTV, property-rights score, and capital controls.
Yes. REST API returns JSON with break-even point, cumulative cost curves, transaction cost breakdown, mortgage options, property rights score, and capital control flags. Free tier: 100 req/day; Pro: 10,000 req/day with historical data and white-label embedding.