Rent vs Buy in Columbus, OH

Should you rent or buy a home in Columbus? Use our calculator with local market data to make an informed decision.

Median Home Price
$285,000
Median Rent
$1,450/mo
Property Tax Rate
1.62%
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.4x

Rent vs Buy in Columbus, Ohio

Should you rent or buy a home? Calculate your best option.

Your Scenario

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$
%
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7 years
1 years30 years

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Adjust these sliders to see how different assumptions affect your decision.

Mortgage Rate7.00%
5%7%9%
Home Appreciation3.0%
0%3%5%
Rent Growth3.0%
0%3%6%
Time Horizon7 years
35710

💡 Tips

  • • Higher mortgage rates favor renting
  • • Higher home appreciation favors buying
  • • Higher rent growth favors buying
  • • Longer time horizons typically favor buying
⚖️It's a Toss-Up

You could save $8,716 by renting

Over 7 years

Monthly Cost (Rent)
$1,587
Average
Monthly Cost (Own)
$2,359
Average (excl. equity)
Total Rent Paid
$133,327
Total Owner Costs
$263,710
Final Equity
$121,667
After selling costs
Break-Even Year
Never
Beyond horizon

Upfront Costs to Buy

Down Payment (20%)$57,000
Closing Costs (3%)$8,550
Total Needed$65,550

Cost Comparison Over Time

$263,710$210,968$158,226$105,484$52,742$00y1y2y3y4y5y6y7y
Total Rent Paid
Total Owner Costs
Net Cost (After Equity)
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About Buying vs Renting in Columbus

The decision to rent or buy in Columbus, Ohio depends on many factors including your financial situation, how long you plan to stay, and current market conditions.

With a median home price of $285,000 and median rent of $1,450 per month, Columbus has a price-to-rent ratio of 16.4. This moderate ratio means both options could work depending on your circumstances.

Use our calculator above to input your specific scenario and see a personalized analysis. Adjust the time horizon, mortgage rate, and other factors to explore different outcomes.