English 
EspañolTotal Cost of Ownership
Not just the mortgage. Property tax, insurance, HOA, maintenance, and PMI all stack on. In Florida, insurance alone adds $300–$700 a month.
Enter your numbers. We’ll simulate 10+ years of buying versus renting with real Florida insurance, taxes, appreciation, and the opportunity cost of your down payment — and tell you the year buying breaks even.
Most rent vs. buy comparisons miss two of these three. Get all three right and the answer falls out automatically.
Not just the mortgage. Property tax, insurance, HOA, maintenance, and PMI all stack on. In Florida, insurance alone adds $300–$700 a month.
Your down payment could be earning 7% in an index fund. Over 10 years, that’s real money the buyer is forgoing — this calculator counts it.
The year buying overtakes renting on net wealth. In Florida at today’s rates and insurance, this typically lands at year 8–12 for a 20% down purchase — later than the textbook national 5-year rule.
The calculator does a full 15-year simulation and finds the crossover where buying gets ahead.
Home price, down payment, rate, term, and Florida costs (taxes, insurance, HOA, maintenance).
Current monthly rent and your best guess for annual rent increases (Florida runs 3–5%).
Home appreciation, investment return on the down payment, and how long you plan to stay.
The crossing point is your break-even year. Adjust inputs to see how sensitive the answer is.
Florida has the highest homeowners insurance premiums in the country — averaging $3,800–$8,300 a year in 2026 depending on county. That alone pushes the break-even point 1–2 years later than in low-insurance states.
Florida selling costs also run higher than the U.S. norm. Agent commission (5–6%) plus title insurance, doc stamps on the deed (0.7%), and other settlement fees typically total 6–8% of sale price. That’s $24,000–$32,000 on a $400,000 home — gone the day you sell.
The flip side: Florida has no state income tax and a Homestead Exemption that caps annual property tax assessment increases at 3% for primary residences. These offset some of the insurance pain.
This calculator includes Florida-specific costs in the math. Most generic rent vs. buy tools use national averages and get Florida wrong by 1–2 break-even years.
Florida home insurance alone, depending on county and coastal exposure. Compared to Midwest states at $100–$150/mo, that’s $2,400–$6,600 more per year before mortgage.
2026 Florida insurance · Property tax + HOA · 1% maintenance · Closing + selling costs · Opportunity cost on down payment · Rent inflation · Home appreciation
The math isn’t the only factor. Here’s how the two stack up on the things that actually shape day-to-day life.
| Factor | Renting | Buying |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cash | First + last + security deposit (~2–3 months rent) | Down payment + closing costs (typically 5–25% of price) |
| Monthly Cost Predictability | Resets every 12 months — FL rent grew 3–5%/yr recently | Locked P&I; tax + insurance can rise 5–20%/yr in Florida |
| Maintenance & Repairs | Landlord’s problem | Your problem — budget ~1% of home value/yr |
| Equity Build | None | ~$3k–$5k principal paydown in year 1, accelerating after |
| Tax Benefits | None (federal) | Mortgage interest + property tax deduction up to $10k SALT cap |
| Flexibility to Move | Out in 30–60 days | Sell + close in 60–90 days, minus 6–8% selling costs |
| Hedge Against Inflation | Rent rises with inflation | P&I stays fixed; home value typically rises with inflation |
| Best If You Stay | Under 5 years | 8+ years in Florida (national rule of thumb is 5+) |
Numbers say one thing, life says another. We’ll help you weigh both on a free 10-minute call — no obligation, no credit pull.
Talk Through My SituationHonest answers about how the math actually works — and where most calculators get it wrong.
Alex Doce will walk through your numbers and tell you what the math really says for your situation. No credit pull until you say so.
Talk to a Florida Mortgage ProA 10-minute call gives you a real Florida rate quote and a 24-hour pre-approval letter — so when buying makes sense, you’re ready to move. No obligation. No credit pull until you say so.