Rental Economy
Lease Versus Buy Calculator
The total-cost showdown between leasing and buying over your actual holding period — not the salesman's version.
Inputs
- Purchase price
- Monthly lease cost
- Holding period
- Resale estimate after holding
How to use this calculator
- Enter the purchase price and the monthly lease cost for the same asset.
- Add your holding period and an estimated resale value if you buy.
- The tool compares total cost each way so you can see which is cheaper over your actual timeframe.
What each term means
- Holding period
- How long you'll keep or use the asset before selling or returning it.
- Resale value
- What you expect to recover by selling the asset at the end.
- Total cost of ownership
- Every dollar in and out over the period, net of resale.
Educational disclaimer: Outputs are simplified educational estimates built from the numbers you enter — they are not financial, legal, tax, or investment advice, and real decisions deserve verified figures and qualified professionals.