Renting vs. buying in 2026: the break-even numbers

The break-even point — the number of years of ownership needed before buying costs less than renting the same home — has crept up in high-growth suburbs and come down everywhere else.

Stamp duty, agent fees, and loan setup costs are the biggest drag in year one; they get diluted the longer you stay.

Our suburb profiles include current median sale and rent figures so you can run this comparison for a specific area.