Skip to content

Renting vs. Buying for College: How the Costs Compare Over Four Years

Updated: Sept 29 2026 • 6 min read

A university green.

Key Findings

  • Renting a 2-bedroom home costs less each month in 43 of 48 college housing markets (89.6%). Near the nation's top public universities, the median monthly cost to own an average 2-bedroom is $3,231, compared with a median rent of $2,100, a difference of $1,098 a month.
  • Over four years, buying has a lower estimated net cost in 41 of 48 markets (85.4%) once modeled equity is included. Much of that advantage comes from the standardized 4% annual appreciation assumption, which is a modeling tool, not a forecast.
  • Clemson, SC has the largest estimated four-year buying advantage at $87,503, followed by Santa Cruz, CA ($83,423), Riverside, CA ($77,509) and Philadelphia, PA ($76,337).
  • Santa Barbara, CA has the largest advantage for renting. Renting comes out $100,579 ahead over four years and also costs less month to month. It’s one of seven markets where renting comes out ahead on both measures.

Sending a student off to college comes with plenty of big decisions, including one families may not expect: Is it better to pay rent for four years, or buy a home near campus?

On a monthly basis, renting is usually the less expensive option. But the monthly payment is only part of the equation. Rent is a housing expense, while part of the mortgage payment goes toward paying down the loan and building equity. If the home gains value over time, that can build equity, too. That means a home that costs more to own each month could potentially tell a different financial story after four years.

A mortgage payment works differently: interest, taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance are costs, just like rent, while the principal portion chips away at the loan balance. Add any gain in the home's value, and ownership can build equity through appreciation too.

Once that equity is counted, the rent vs. buy comparison can look very different over the length of a four-year degree.

To find out how the numbers compare near college campuses across the U.S., Lower analyzed 2-bedroom homes for sale and for rent from Movoto, a real estate search platform and Lower company, in the housing markets tied to the 54 universities ranked in the top 50 of the 2027 U.S. News Top Public Schools list.

Lower compared average 2-bedroom asking rents against the estimated monthly cost of owning with a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan and 5% down. That cost includes principal, interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and the FHA mortgage insurance premium (MIP), a standard fee for FHA borrowers. Lower then modeled a four-year ownership period to see how the comparison changes once equity is factored in.

Renting came out ahead on monthly affordability in nearly 90% of the markets analyzed. Over four years, though, the picture changes significantly once modeled equity is included.

By the Numbers

  • 89.6% of markets where renting costs less each month
  • 85.4% of markets where buying has the lower estimated four-year net cost under the modeled scenario
  • 36 markets flip from renting being cheaper monthly to buying coming out ahead over four years
  • $27,672 median four-year difference in buying's favor
  • 80% of modeled equity that comes from the 4% appreciation assumption

Renting Has the Monthly Cost Advantage

For most families, the monthly cost is an important place to start. Under the 5% down FHA scenario used in this analysis, monthly ownership costs include principal and interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and FHA mortgage insurance every month. Lower compared that total with the average 2-bedroom asking rent in each market. Appreciation and equity aren’t included in this part of the analysis, so this comparison is focused on what it costs to rent versus own each month.

The gap is widest in three California markets. Owning costs $11,891 more per month than renting in Santa Barbara, CA, $5,415 more in La Jolla, CA and $4,746 more in Los Angeles, CA.

Buying costs less per month in just five markets: Clemson, SC ($524 less), Riverside, CA ($193 less), College Park, MD ($179 less), Philadelphia, PA ($153 less), and Camden, NJ ($96 less).

Over Four Years, the Math Changes

Looking beyond the monthly payment changes the comparison. Over four years, a homeowner is also paying down the mortgage and potentially benefiting from an increase in the home’s value. When that equity is subtracted from the cost of owning, buying can look very different than it does month to month.

In this model, equity builds in two ways. The first is principal paid down over 48 mortgage payments, which is set by the loan's amortization schedule. The second is appreciation, modeled at 4% a year, compounded annually, in every market. The 4% rate is a standardized assumption, not a prediction of where home prices will go.

Appreciation does most of the heavy lifting. In every market, about 80% of modeled equity comes from the 4% assumption and about 20% from paying down the principal. If home values grow more slowly than 4% a year, or fall, buying may look less favorable in this comparison.

Buyers still pay the full ownership cost each month. The four-year net cost figure is an equity-adjusted estimate, not a cash-flow payment, and equity isn't cash in hand unless the owner sells, refinances, or otherwise taps it.

Where Buying Shows the Largest Four-Year Advantage

Lower identified the 10 markets where buying shows the largest estimated four-year advantage over renting once equity is counted.

#

University

Market

Avg. 2BR list price

Avg. 2BR rent

Monthly ownership cost

Four-year difference

1

Clemson University

Clemson, SC ††

$292,228

$2,846

$2,322

+$87,503

2

UC Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA

$823,455

$4,289

$6,211

+$83,423

3

UC Riverside

Riverside, CA

$319,835

$2,741

$2,548

+$77,509

4

Temple University

Philadelphia, PA

$323,312

$2,821

$2,668

+$76,337

5

UC San Diego

La Jolla, CA ††

$1,511,873

$5,938

$11,353

+$62,655

6

University of Delaware

Newark, DE

$302,172

$2,228

$2,366

+$57,843

7

UC Irvine

Irvine, CA

$964,554

$4,194

$7,354

+$54,143

8

University of Maryland, College Park

College Park, MD †

$212,830

$2,065

$1,886

+$54,011

9

Rutgers University-New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ †

$451,393

$3,000

$3,901

+$53,051

10

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA

$252,070

$2,010

$2,050

+$51,855

5% down FHA loan at 7.03%. Four-year difference = four years of rent minus estimated net ownership cost, using 4% annual appreciation (modeling assumption, not a forecast). † Thin inventory. †† Very thin inventory.

Clemson, SC tops the list with an estimated four-year buying advantage of $87,503, followed by Santa Cruz, CA at $83,423, Riverside, CA at $77,509, and Philadelphia, PA at $76,337.

But the monthly numbers tell a more nuanced story. Riverside, CA and Philadelphia, PA are among the few markets where buying costs less both month to month and over four years. In Santa Cruz, CA, owning costs $1,922 more per month than renting, while the gap in Irvine, CA is $3,160. Once modeled equity is factored in, however, buying comes out ahead over the four-year period in both markets.

That pattern shows up throughout the analysis. A higher monthly cost doesn’t necessarily translate to a higher estimated cost over four years, particularly when principal paydown and potential home-price appreciation are taken into account.

Where Renting Comes Out Ahead

Renting has the lower estimated four-year net cost in seven markets. In each one, the higher monthly cost of owning is enough to outweigh the equity built under the model.

University

Market

Avg. 2BR list price

Avg. 2BR rent

Monthly gap

Four-year difference

UC Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, CA †

$2,203,666

$4,200

+$11,891

-$100,579

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA †

$393,542

$1,077

+$2,388

-$30,674

The University of Texas-Austin

Austin, TX

$517,151

$1,812

+$2,586

-$13,798

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI †

$225,905

$1,027

+$1,117

-$5,392

UCLA

Los Angeles, CA

$1,054,571

$3,309

+$4,746

-$2,790

The Pennsylvania State University-University Park

State College, PA †

$507,418

$1,711

+$2,300

-$2,130

Texas A&M University

College Station, TX

$342,865

$1,566

+$1,530

-$286

5% down FHA loan at 7.03%. Negative four-year difference = renting has the lower estimated net cost. † Thin inventory.

Santa Barbara has by far the largest gap. The average 2-bedroom rent is $4,200, compared with an average list price of more than $2.2 million. That puts the monthly cost of owning $11,891 above renting and gives renting an estimated $100,579 advantage over four years.

The gap is smaller in the other six markets. Renting comes out ahead by $30,674 over four years in Iowa City, IA, and $13,798 in Austin, TX, while the difference falls below $6,000 in East Lansing, MI, Los Angeles, CA, State College, PA, and College Station, TX.

College Station, TX is nearly even, with renting ahead by just $286 over four years. At that margin, relatively small changes in mortgage rates, home prices, or other costs could shift the balance between renting and buying.

How the Math Works: Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh, PA offers a useful example of how the two comparisons can tell different stories. Near the University of Pittsburgh, the monthly costs of renting and owning a 2-bedroom are almost identical.

Figure

Explanation

Result

Average 2-bedroom list price

Average list price of active 2-bedroom listings, from Movoto.

$252,070

Down payment

5% of the average list price. Initial equity, not counted as equity built.

$12,604

Principal and interest

30-year fixed FHA loan at 7.03%, with the 1.75% upfront FHA MIP financed into the loan.

$1,626

Property taxes

Average list price multiplied by the effective property-tax rate, divided by 12.

$166

Homeowners insurance

Average annual premium from The Zebra, divided by 12.

$149

FHA mortgage insurance

0.55% of the base loan amount per year, divided by 12.

$110

Monthly ownership cost

Principal and interest plus taxes, insurance and FHA mortgage insurance.

$2,050

Average 2-bedroom rent

Average asking rent of 2-bedroom rental listings, from Movoto.

$2,010

Monthly difference

Monthly ownership cost minus rent.

$40 more to own

Four-year rent cost

Monthly rent multiplied by 48.

$96,480

Four-year ownership cost

Monthly ownership cost multiplied by 48.

$98,409

Principal paid down

Actual principal paid in mortgage payments 1 through 48.

$10,968

Modeled appreciation

Purchase price grown at 4% a year for four years, minus the purchase price.

$42,816

Total equity built

Principal paid down plus modeled appreciation.

$53,784

Net ownership cost

Four-year ownership cost of $98,409 minus equity built of $53,784.

$44,625

Four-year difference

Four-year rent of $96,480 minus net ownership cost of $44,625.

+$51,855

Figures are rounded to the nearest dollar and may not sum exactly.

Owning in Pittsburgh costs just $40 more per month than renting. Over four years, however, buying has an estimated $51,855 lower net cost once modeled equity is included.

Most of that difference comes from assumed home-price appreciation. Of the $53,784 in equity built under the model, $10,968 comes from paying the mortgage and $42,816 comes from the 4% annual appreciation assumption. That distinction matters because principal paydown follows the mortgage schedule, while future home-price growth isn’t guaranteed.

Full Rankings

Markets are ranked by the four-year difference between rent paid and estimated net ownership cost. A positive difference means buying has the lower estimated equity-adjusted net cost under the modeled scenario. A positive monthly gap means renting costs less each month.

#

University

Market

2BR for sale

2BR for rent

Avg. 2BR list price

Avg. 2BR rent

Monthly ownership cost

Monthly gap

Four-year equity built

Four-year difference

Lower est. four-year net cost

1

Clemson University (#37)

Clemson, SC ††

16

4

$292,228

$2,846

$2,322

-$524

$62,353

$87,503

Buying

2

UC Santa Cruz (#50)

Santa Cruz, CA

54

25

$823,455

$4,289

$6,211

$1,922

$175,701

$83,423

Buying

3

UC Riverside (#37)

Riverside, CA

79

217

$319,835

$2,741

$2,548

-$193

$68,244

$77,509

Buying

4

Temple University (#50)

Philadelphia, PA

983

958

$323,312

$2,821

$2,668

-$153

$68,985

$76,337

Buying

5

UC San Diego (#6)

La Jolla, CA ††

39

8

$1,511,873

$5,938

$11,353

$5,415

$322,590

$62,655

Buying

6

University of Delaware (#40)

Newark, DE

33

24

$302,172

$2,228

$2,366

$138

$64,475

$57,843

Buying

7

UC Irvine (#8)

Irvine, CA

146

183

$964,554

$4,194

$7,354

$3,160

$205,808

$54,143

Buying

8

University of Maryland, College Park (#17)

College Park, MD †

10

46

$212,830

$2,065

$1,886

-$179

$45,412

$54,011

Buying

9

Rutgers University-New Brunswick (#14)

New Brunswick, NJ †

16

28

$451,393

$3,000

$3,901

$901

$96,314

$53,051

Buying

10

University of Pittsburgh (#24)

Pittsburgh, PA

482

310

$252,070

$2,010

$2,050

$40

$53,784

$51,855

Buying

11

University of Illinois Chicago (#43)

Chicago, IL

1201

2597

$465,964

$3,057

$4,128

$1,071

$99,423

$48,017

Buying

12

UC Berkeley (#1)

Berkeley, CA

35

88

$735,842

$3,368

$5,656

$2,288

$157,007

$47,186

Buying

13

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (#3)

Ann Arbor, MI

131

99

$425,770

$2,639

$3,713

$1,074

$90,847

$39,292

Buying

14

Rutgers University-Camden (#43)

Camden, NJ ††

21

2

$160,366

$1,547

$1,451

-$96

$34,217

$38,848

Buying

15

Rutgers University-Newark / New Jersey Institute of Technology (#32, #40)

Newark, NJ

46

42

$382,667

$2,402

$3,321

$919

$81,650

$37,548

Buying

16

Purdue University-Main Campus (#22)

West Lafayette, IN †

11

154

$388,427

$2,111

$3,057

$946

$82,879

$37,472

Buying

17

Georgia Institute of Technology (#6)

Atlanta, GA

1586

2867

$415,747

$2,371

$3,452

$1,081

$88,708

$36,817

Buying

18

University of Washington (#17)

Seattle, WA

895

1347

$781,283

$3,307

$6,041

$2,734

$166,703

$35,448

Buying

19

University of Massachusetts-Amherst (#24)

Amherst, MA ††

6

8

$415,783

$2,499

$3,622

$1,123

$88,716

$34,791

Buying

20

University of Florida (#8)

Gainesville, FL

229

270

$196,541

$1,638

$1,815

$177

$41,936

$33,445

Buying

21

Colorado School of Mines (#37)

Golden, CO †

61

14

$513,062

$2,310

$3,928

$1,618

$109,473

$31,790

Buying

22

University of Virginia (#4)

Charlottesville, VA

65

46

$388,925

$1,989

$3,089

$1,100

$82,985

$30,168

Buying

23

Florida State University (#24)

Tallahassee, FL

171

204

$196,622

$1,510

$1,798

$288

$41,953

$28,128

Buying

24

Virginia Tech (#19)

Blacksburg, VA ††

3

8

$273,792

$1,576

$2,216

$640

$58,419

$27,718

Buying

25

University of Wisconsin-Madison (#8)

Madison, WI

133

335

$379,247

$2,138

$3,248

$1,110

$80,920

$27,626

Buying

26

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (#5)

Chapel Hill, NC

101

203

$397,556

$2,088

$3,301

$1,213

$84,827

$26,607

Buying

27

William & Mary (#19)

Williamsburg, VA

35

30

$335,496

$1,726

$2,667

$941

$71,585

$26,427

Buying

28

The Ohio State University (#14)

Columbus, OH

565

1485

$284,925

$1,674

$2,451

$777

$60,795

$23,508

Buying

29

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (#24)

Minneapolis, MN

419

609

$486,827

$2,435

$4,112

$1,677

$103,875

$23,386

Buying

30

Auburn University (#46)

Auburn, AL ††

99

9

$355,935

$1,753

$2,849

$1,096

$75,946

$23,321

Buying

31

North Carolina State University (#32)

Raleigh, NC

405

1350

$353,790

$1,685

$2,853

$1,168

$75,489

$19,418

Buying

32

University at Buffalo-SUNY (#40)

Amherst, NY ††

39

1

$320,360

$1,749

$2,787

$1,038

$68,356

$18,538

Buying

33

Indiana University-Bloomington (#32)

Bloomington, IN

133

198

$296,425

$1,542

$2,482

$940

$63,249

$18,133

Buying

34

UC Merced (#30)

Merced, CA ††

42

7

$323,113

$1,500

$2,575

$1,075

$68,943

$17,354

Buying

35

UC Davis (#8)

Davis, CA †

39

17

$563,663

$2,232

$4,378

$2,146

$120,269

$17,261

Buying

36

University of Tennessee-Knoxville (#50)

Knoxville, TN

331

494

$404,601

$1,749

$3,213

$1,464

$86,330

$16,036

Buying

37

University of Missouri (#43)

Columbia, MO

34

27

$250,611

$1,337

$2,141

$804

$53,473

$14,885

Buying

38

University of South Florida (#46)

Tampa, FL

759

1512

$418,185

$2,124

$3,732

$1,608

$89,229

$12,056

Buying

39

University of Colorado Boulder (#50)

Boulder, CO

200

35

$557,675

$2,244

$4,490

$2,246

$118,992

$11,199

Buying

40

University of Georgia (#19)

Athens, GA

113

167

$405,397

$1,577

$3,277

$1,700

$86,500

$4,908

Buying

41

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (#8)

Urbana, IL †

16

21

$162,531

$996

$1,713

$717

$34,679

$264

Buying

42

Texas A&M University (#24)

College Station, TX

73

97

$342,865

$1,566

$3,096

$1,530

$73,157

-$286

Renting

43

The Pennsylvania State University-University Park (#22)

State College, PA †

11

22

$507,418

$1,711

$4,011

$2,300

$108,268

-$2,130

Renting

44

UCLA (#1)

Los Angeles, CA

1043

2357

$1,054,571

$3,309

$8,055

$4,746

$225,015

-$2,790

Renting

45

Michigan State University (#30)

East Lansing, MI †

18

14

$225,905

$1,027

$2,144

$1,117

$48,202

-$5,392

Renting

46

The University of Texas-Austin (#8)

Austin, TX

877

3829

$517,151

$1,812

$4,398

$2,586

$110,345

-$13,798

Renting

47

University of Iowa (#46)

Iowa City, IA †

44

11

$393,542

$1,077

$3,465

$2,388

$83,970

-$30,674

Renting

48

UC Santa Barbara (#14)

Santa Barbara, CA †

52

14

$2,203,666

$4,200

$16,091

$11,891

$470,199

-$100,579

Renting

5% down FHA loan at 7.03%. 4% annual appreciation (modeling assumption, not a forecast). Listings from Movoto as of Sept. 17, 2026. † Thin inventory: fewer than 20 listings for sale or for rent. †† Very thin inventory: fewer than 10. Results in these markets rest on few listings and should be read as rough indicators.

Markets Lower Couldn't Compare

Of the 53 markets included in the study, 48 had both 2-bedroom homes for sale and for rent in the Movoto data and could be compared. Five markets were not ranked because the data showed no 2-bedroom homes for sale, for rent or both: Stony Brook, NY; Vestal, NY; Storrs, CT; Westchester, FL; and Durham, NH.

What This Means for Homebuyers

For families weighing whether to rent or buy near a college campus, the numbers show that the monthly cost is only one part of the decision. Renting may leave more room in the budget today, while buying offers the opportunity to build equity over time.

That tension shows up clearly in the results. Buying has a lower estimated net cost over four years in 41 of the 48 markets analyzed, even though renting costs less each month in 43. A home can cost more to own month to month and still come out ahead over a longer period once equity is taken into account.

But that longer-term advantage isn’t guaranteed. Much of it depends on what happens to the home’s value. About 80% of the equity in the model comes from the standardized 4% annual appreciation assumption, while the remaining 20% comes from paying down the mortgage. If home values grow more slowly, stay flat or fall, the financial picture can change.

Mortgage rates can shift the balance, too. This analysis uses a 7.03% rate, but buyers entering the market at a lower rate would face a smaller monthly ownership cost, while a higher rate would push that cost up.

Ultimately, the rent-versus-buy decision is about more than which option looks cheaper today. How long you plan to own the home, what you can comfortably afford each month, and the equity you could build along the way all shape the bigger financial picture. For families already facing four years of housing costs, looking at both the short- and long-term numbers can help them decide which path makes the most sense for their situation.

Data & Methodology

Lower analyzed 2-bedroom housing costs in the markets associated with the 54 universities ranked #50 or better on the 2027 U.S. News Top Public Schools list, representing 53 unique housing markets. Each university was matched to the local housing market associated with its main campus.

Home prices, rents and inventory are based on a Sept. 17, 2026 snapshot of active 2-bedroom listings from Movoto. Markets needed at least one home for sale and one for rent to be included in the comparison. Markets with fewer than 20 listings on either side are flagged as thin inventory, and those with fewer than 10 as very thin.

Monthly ownership costs assume a 5% down FHA loan with a 7.03% 30-year fixed mortgage rate, based on the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey as of Sept. 24, 2026. Costs include principal and interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance and FHA mortgage insurance. Property-tax estimates are based on 2024 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data, while homeowners insurance estimates come from The Zebra.

The four-year analysis assumes the home is owned for 48 months and appreciates 4% annually, compounded each year. Estimated equity includes principal paid down during that period and modeled home-price appreciation. The 5% down payment is considered initial equity and is not counted as equity built. Rent and monthly ownership costs are held flat over the four years.

The analysis does not account for maintenance, HOA fees, closing or selling costs, the opportunity cost of the down payment, rent increases or changes in taxes, insurance or mortgage rates. Listing data reflects asking prices and rents rather than final sale prices or signed leases.

This analysis is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, mortgage or investment advice. The 4% annual appreciation rate is a standardized modeling assumption, not a forecast, and actual home-price changes will vary by market.

Explore your home loan options.

Mortgage Resources

Clear
Selection