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Florida Rent vs. Buy Calculator

Compare the true total cost of renting versus buying in Florida. Pre-filled with Florida median home price, average rent, property tax rates, and insurance costs.

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Buying Costs(Florida defaults)

Renting Costs(Florida defaults)

Comparison Settings

Florida Market Context

Avg Cap Rate

5.5%

Median Price

$415K

Property Tax

0.8%

Vacancy Rate

6.9%

Local Factors

  • -No state income tax, no capital gains tax, no estate tax — rental income taxed at federal level only
  • -Homestead exemption ~$51K (owner-occupied only, does NOT apply to investment properties)
  • -Investment properties capped at 10% annual assessed value increase (vs 3% for homestead)
  • -Hurricane impact windows/shutters required in High-Velocity Hurricane Zones (Miami-Dade, Broward) — $8K–$25K installed, but can reduce insurance 15–45%
  • -Flood insurance required in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (avg $878/yr, high-risk zones $2,200+)
  • -Landlord/dwelling insurance avg ~$3,815/yr — roughly 2x the national average
  • -Vacancy rates rising statewide (6.9%, up from 5.8%) — supply glut in some metros (Tampa 10.3%)
  • -No rent control statewide — landlords can set market rates

7-Year Verdict

Rent

saves $41,257

Rent — Slight Edge

Net Cost Over 7 Years

Buying$159,672
Renting$118,415

Buying Breakdown

Monthly Mortgage$2,209
Total Spent$367,460
Home Value (yr 7)$510,398
Equity Built$207,788
Net Cost of Buying$159,672

Renting Breakdown

Total Rent$174,704
Investment Gains$57,822
Net Cost of Renting$118,415

Where Buy Costs Go

TOTAL$272,010
Mortgage$185,540
Property Tax$25,439
Insurance$29,232
Maintenance$31,799

What does this mean?

Renting saves $41,257 over 7 years compared to buying. However, buying builds $207,788 in equity. If you invest the difference from renting, you could come out ahead — but you'd need discipline.

How the Rent vs. Buy Calculation Works

The rent vs. buy decision isn't just about comparing your monthly mortgage to your monthly rent. A fair comparison needs to account for all the hidden costs and benefits on both sides.

On the buy side: we calculate total mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and closing costs. Then we subtract the equity you build — both from paying down principal and from home appreciation.

On the rent side: we add up total rent payments (increasing annually) and renter's insurance. But we also credit you with the investment returns you could earn by investing your down payment and closing costs in the stock market instead.

The net cost for each option is total spent minus wealth gained. The option with the lower net cost wins. Keep in mind this is a purely financial comparison — the stability, freedom, and lifestyle value of each choice is personal.

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