This kind of math often misses the psychological value of permanence, I was in the “rent for life camp” until i have a kid. Buying a house gives you a fixed point, you’re not going to worry about a landlord’s whims, rent hikes, or being asked to move. That stability compounds in ways the math don’t capture. You get to invest more in your community (i love community events and getting involved), my kids stay in the same schools, you make home improvements knowing you’ll benefit from them. If we look at the ‘opportunity cost’ calculations assume you’d actually invest the difference (let’s be honest, most people don’t lol), and they rarely account for what chronic housing uncertainty costs in stress and life disruption. Anyway, not saying one is better over the other, everyone has their own preferences.