When does buying a home beat renting in Dublin?

The break-even point depends on property price growth, mortgage rate, rent inflation, and investment returns on your deposit. The calculator simulates all four and finds the month buying overtakes renting in total net worth. In typical Dublin scenarios, buying breaks even between year 5 and year 9.

Does the rent-vs-buy model include property price appreciation?

Yes. You set an expected annual price growth rate. The buyer’s equity grows with both mortgage amortisation and property appreciation. The renter’s invested deposit compounds at the investment return rate you set.

Is this calculator specific to Dublin?

Yes. Default property prices and rents auto-fill from Dublish’s Dublin PPR and RTB data for each area. The underlying maths works anywhere, but the defaults assume Irish tax and lending rules.

Should I Rent or Buy in Dublin?

Compare the true cost of renting vs buying over time. Adjust the inputs below to match your situation and see when buying breaks even.

Last reviewed April 2026. Defaults auto-fill from Dublin PPR and RTB data.

Auto-fill from Dublin area

Fills average property price, rent, and minimum deposit for the selected area.

🏠 Buying costs

First-time buyer (90% LTV)

Purchase Price €400,000

€100k€1.5M

Deposit €40,000

€0€500k

Mortgage Rate 3.8%

0.5%10%

Mortgage Term 30 years

5 yrs35 yrs

Annual Maintenance 1.5%

0%3%

Covers routine upkeep (~1%), home insurance (~0.15%), and Local Property Tax (~0.2–0.3%). A typical Dublin homeowner should budget 1.3%–1.5% of the original purchase price per year.

🏢 Renting costs

Monthly Rent €2,000

€500€5,000

Annual Rent Increase 3.0%

0%10%

📈 Market assumptions

Annual Property Appreciation 4.0%

0%10%

Investment Return 4.0%

0%10%

Both strategies invest surplus cash at this rate. The renter’s unspent deposit also compounds here.

Both renting and buying assume surplus cash is invested at the selected return. The renter’s portfolio starts with the full deposit; the buyer’s starts at zero. Each month, whichever option is cheaper invests the difference.

Monthly (Buying)

€0

Monthly (Renting)

€0

Break-even

—

Verdict

—

Monthly Cost Comparison

Net Financial Position Over Time

Year	Total Rent	Total Buy Cost	Equity	Property Value	Buy Advantage
Calculating...

How this calculator works

This tool compares the net financial position of renting vs buying over a 30-year period. It accounts for mortgage payments, property appreciation, maintenance costs, rent increases, and investment growth on cash not spent on housing.

Buying net position = property equity + invested monthly savings when buying is the cheaper option, minus upfront purchase costs. Equity is the current property value minus the remaining mortgage balance. Upfront costs (stamp duty, legal fees, valuation) are modelled at 1.5% of the purchase price as a day-one sunk cost.

Maintenance is modelled as a fixed annual percentage of the original purchase price. Property appreciation does not automatically push routine maintenance costs higher over time.

Renting net position = invested deposit + invested monthly savings when renting is the cheaper option. The Investment Return slider controls the assumed annual growth rate for both sides' investment portfolios.

The break-even point is the first year when buying's net position moves ahead of renting's and stays ahead for the rest of the 30-year period. A brief early crossover does not count.

Important caveats: This model simplifies many factors. Upfront costs (stamp duty, legal fees, valuation) are included at 1.5% of the purchase price. It doesn't account for mortgage protection insurance, investment returns beyond the single assumed rate, tax on investment gains, or transaction costs of selling.

Irish Central Bank rules: First-time buyers need a minimum 10% deposit (90% LTV) and can borrow up to 4× gross income. Non-first-time buyers need 20% deposit (80% LTV) and can borrow up to 3.5× gross income.

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What can you afford?

Use our Affordability Calculator to see which Dublin districts match your budget.

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Explore repayments

Use our Mortgage Calculator for detailed monthly repayments and amortization schedules.

This calculator is for illustration purposes only. It uses simplified assumptions about property appreciation, rent increases, maintenance costs, and investment returns. Upfront purchase costs (stamp duty, legal fees, valuation) are estimated at 1.5% of the purchase price. The maintenance slider should include allowances for Local Property Tax and home insurance. It does not account for mortgage protection insurance, tax on investment gains, or transaction costs of selling. Central Bank of Ireland lending rules (LTV and LTI limits) may further constrain your borrowing capacity. Always consult a qualified mortgage adviser and financial planner before making financial decisions. District average rents are approximate figures based on available market data.

How this rent-vs-buy calculator works

The calculator simulates two parallel paths month-by-month. The buyer path pays the deposit plus upfront costs on day one, then pays the mortgage each month; their net worth grows as the mortgage balance shrinks and the property appreciates. The renter path invests the deposit-plus-upfront-costs from day one, then pays rent each month; their net worth grows as the invested sum compounds. In months where renting is cheaper than a mortgage payment, the difference is added to the renter's invested sum; in months where buying is cheaper, the difference is added to the buyer's invested sum.

The break-even point is the first month the buyer's total net worth overtakes the renter's. Upfront purchase costs — stamp duty, legal fees, surveyor, valuation — are modelled at 1.5% of the purchase price as a day-one cost. Rent inflation, property appreciation, and the investment return rate on invested cash are all sliders you set. Defaults auto-fill from Dublish's median Dublin PPR and RTB data for the area you select.

What this calculator does not include: LPT and management charges, routine maintenance (budget roughly 1% of property value per year), home insurance, mortgage protection, rental voids when moving, furnishing costs, or tax (rental income tax for landlords, CGT exemption for principal private residence). It also assumes the chosen interest rate holds for the full term and that rent continues for the full horizon. Treat the break-even month as a central estimate — the ±12-month confidence band is typical.

Worked example — €400k Dublin home vs €2,500/month rent

Consider a €400,000 two-bed apartment in Dublin versus renting the equivalent at €2,500/month. As a first-time buyer with 10% deposit (€40,000) and 1.5% upfront costs (€6,000), you are out €46,000 on day one. At a 4.5% mortgage rate over 30 years, the monthly repayment is about €1,824 — roughly €676 less than the €2,500 rent. The renter invests the €46,000 upfront saving plus the €676/month differential at their chosen investment return rate.

With middle-of-the-road assumptions — 3% annual property appreciation, 3% rent inflation, 5% investment return — buying typically overtakes renting on total net worth between year 6 and year 8. The buyer's advantage grows rapidly beyond that because mortgage payments become fixed in real terms while rents keep rising.

The result is highly sensitive to two inputs. If you believe Dublin property appreciation will only average 1% per year (a pessimistic case given the past decade), break-even stretches to year 10+ and renting often wins over a 10-year horizon. If you believe Dublin rent inflation will average 5% per year (closer to recent RTB data), break-even shortens to year 4–5 and buying wins decisively over almost any horizon. Run both scenarios with the sliders above.