Relocation by Numbers

Mortgage Calculator for US & International Buyers

Monthly payments, cash to close, rent vs buy break-even, and affordability — for US and international home buyers.

Planning estimates for monthly payment, cash to close, affordability, and rent vs buy.

Assumptions updated: March 2026
See methodology
Cash to closeRent vs buyRefinanceBuying abroad
Home buying decision engine
Home & Loan Details
Property stateSelect your state to auto-fill typical property tax, insurance, and closing cost estimates. You can override any of these.
Home price
Down payment (%)Percentage of home price paid upfront. Below 20% triggers automatic PMI.
Down payment ($)
$100,000
Interest rate (%)
Loan term
Est. closing costs (%)US closing costs typically run 2–5% of the loan. Auto-filled when you select a state.
Closing costs ($)
$10,000
Monthly Costs
Property tax (%/yr)US average is ~1.1%. Auto-filled when you select a state.
Homeowners insurance ($/mo)Auto-filled with a state average calibrated to a ~$400k home.
HOA fees ($/mo)
Maintenance reserve (%/yr)Recommended: 1–2% of home value annually.
Extra monthly paymentAdditional principal per month. Reduces total interest and shortens loan.
Affordability & Rent vs Buy
Gross annual income
Other monthly debtsCar loans, student loans, credit cards — used to calculate back-end DTI.
Current monthly rent
Home appreciation (%/yr)
Rent growth (%/yr)
Investment return (%/yr)What the down payment could earn if invested instead. Used in opportunity-cost calculation.
Marginal tax rate (%)Used to estimate mortgage interest deduction value. Set to 0 if you take the standard deduction.
Cash Position
Total savings / liquid cashAll accessible cash — savings, checking, investment accounts you'd tap.
Emergency fund target (months)How many months of housing costs you want to hold as an emergency fund after closing.
Moving / furnishing budgetMoving trucks, first-month furnishing, appliances. Deducted from your post-closing cash calculation.
Est. monthly payment$3,202.73/mo
Buy · Wait · Rent
Wait 12–18 months
Decision

You're close, but improving your cash position or income first would meaningfully lower your risk.

  • ·You'd be cash-negative after closing — can't cover emergencies
Your Bottom Line
Estimated monthly payment
$3,203/mo
Cash to close
$124,608
down + closing + 3-mo buffer
Income for 28% DTI
$137,260/yr
not a lender requirement
CAUTION — This loan stretches lender guidelines — workable but watch your cash flow.
Monthly Payment Breakdown
Principal & Interest$2,594.39
Property Tax$458.33
Insurance$150.00
HOA$0.00
Total monthly$3,202.73
First Year & 5-Year Cost
First year (own)
$43,433
payments + maintenance
First year (rent)
$30,000
at current rent
5-year cost (own)
$217,164
payments + maintenance
5-year cost (rent)
$161,617
with 3.0%/yr growth
5-yr equity built
$218,340
principal + appreciation
5-yr net buy cost
-$1,177
after equity deducted
Over 5 years, buying is ~$162,794 cheaper than renting (net of equity).
Break-even is sensitive to appreciation and rent growth assumptions.
Cash Needed to Close
Down payment (20%)$100,000
Est. closing costs (2.5%)$10,000
3-month planning buffer$9,608
Total cash needed$124,608

The 3-month buffer is a planning target, not a universal lender requirement.

Cash After Close
-$35,000
Danger
Total savings$80,000
Cash to close− $124,608
Moving / furnishing− $5,000
Cash remaining-$35,000
Emergency fund target (6 mo)$19,216
You'd be cash-negative after closing. This purchase is not financially safe at current inputs.
Affordability Check
Front-end DTIHousing costs as % of gross monthly income.32.0% — Elevated
≤28% guideline
Back-end DTIAll monthly debts as % of gross income.37.0% — Above guideline
≤36–43% guideline
Max home price at 28% front-end DTI: $437,000(solver estimate, not a lender pre-approval)
Stress Test

Drag the slider to see how your budget holds up if conditions worsen.

NoneLowModerateSevere
Current assumptions
Move the slider above to model stress scenarios
Rate Sensitivity

How monthly P&I shifts if rates move from your current 6.8%.

RateMonthly P&Ivs. current
5.8%$2,334/mo-$260
6.3%$2,463/mo-$132
6.5%$2,528/mo-$66
6.8%current$2,594/mo—
7.0%$2,661/mo+$67
7.3%$2,729/mo+$134
7.8%$2,866/mo+$271
Long-Term Cost
Loan amount
$400,000
Total interest
$533,981
Total cost of loan
$933,981
Interest/price ratio
106.8%
Rent vs Buy Break-Even
10.2 years

Buying becomes cheaper than renting after ~10.2 years at current assumptions.

Monthly rent: $2,500
Monthly own: $3,203
Rent growth: 3.0%/yr
Appreciation: 3.5%/yr
Maintenance: 1.0%/yr
Tax deduction: 22.0% bracket
Scenario Comparison

Four pre-set scenarios based on your current inputs. Click a name to rename it.

ScenarioMonthlyCash to Close5-yr CostBreak-Even
$500,000 · 20% down
$3,203$119,608$217,16410.2 yr
$500,000 · 30% down
$2,878$167,385$197,70615.3 yr
$400,000 · 20% down
$2,573
lowest
$95,720$174,403
lowest
6.7 yr
fastest
$500,000 · 30% down
$2,878$167,385$197,70615.3 yr
Scenario names are editable. Metrics update instantly as you change inputs.
Principal vs Interest Over Time
Amortization Schedule
YearPrincipalInterestBalance
Year 1$4,263$26,870$395,737
Year 2$4,560$26,573$391,177
Year 3$4,877$26,255$386,300
Year 4$5,217$25,916$381,083
Year 5$5,580$25,553$375,503

What this mortgage calculator includes

This is a full home buying decision tool, not just a payment estimator. It covers monthly cost, upfront cash required, rent vs buy break-even, affordability, and refinance analysis.

The US tab is built for domestic purchases with PMI, closing costs, property tax, and mortgage-interest deduction assumptions. The International tab adds country-specific planning guidance for foreign buyers.

Monthly payment breakdown

P&I, property tax, insurance, HOA, and PMI when applicable.

Cash to close

Down payment, closing costs, and a planning buffer in one number.

Rent vs buy break-even

Includes equity paydown, appreciation, maintenance, and opportunity cost.

Affordability check

Front-end and back-end DTI with lender-style guideline ranges.

Rate sensitivity

See how payment changes if rates move around your assumption.

Amortization schedule

Year-by-year principal, interest, and remaining balance.

Good to know before you use it

All results are estimates. Actual rates, tax treatment, insurance costs, and lender requirements vary by location, credit profile, loan type, and individual circumstance.

The international tab is for planning. Country rates are indicative benchmarks, not guaranteed loan offers for foreign buyers.

The rent vs buy model depends on appreciation, rent growth, and opportunity-cost assumptions. Small input changes can move the break-even by years.

This calculator is not financial, tax, or legal advice.

✓No account or sign-up required
✓Scenario sharing via URL
✓Planning-focused for both domestic and international buyers

How to use this mortgage calculator

  1. 1
    Enter your home price and down payment

    Start with the purchase price and how much you plan to put down. The calculator will estimate PMI when applicable.

  2. 2
    Set your rate and term

    Use the rate you were quoted or a placeholder assumption to model different scenarios.

  3. 3
    Add monthly ownership costs

    Include tax, insurance, HOA, and maintenance to complete the real monthly picture.

  4. 4
    Check affordability

    Enter your income and debts to review front-end and back-end DTI against common lender guidelines.

  5. 5
    Review rent vs buy

    Compare ownership against rent with appreciation, rent growth, and opportunity cost assumptions.

  6. 6
    Save or share your scenario

    Use the encoded URL to revisit the same inputs or share them with someone else.

Frequently asked questions

How is the monthly payment calculated?+
Your principal and interest uses the standard amortization formula. The calculator adds property tax, homeowners insurance, HOA, and PMI when applicable to arrive at the full monthly payment.
What's included in cash to close?+
Down payment, estimated closing costs, and a 3-month planning buffer. The buffer is a planning guideline, not a universal lender requirement.
How does rent vs buy break-even work?+
The tool compares cumulative ownership costs against cumulative rent while crediting equity gains and accounting for the opportunity cost of your down payment.
When does PMI go away?+
Once your loan balance reaches 80% of the original purchase price, you can usually request cancellation. The calculator estimates when that point is reached.
Can foreigners get a mortgage abroad?+
Sometimes, yes, but rules vary widely by country, lender, and residency status. The international tab is for planning estimates, not guaranteed loan availability.
How do bi-weekly payments save money?+
They create one extra full payment per year, which reduces principal faster and saves interest over time.
What DTI do lenders want?+
Many conventional lenders prefer front-end DTI at or below 28% and back-end DTI at or below 36–43%, though exceptions exist.
How does the refinance calculator work?+
It compares your current remaining loan against a new loan and shows monthly savings, break-even months, and estimated lifetime savings.

Planning to buy abroad after relocating?

Check your destination budget first, then come back and run the mortgage numbers.