Gary Lim Division — Preeminent Group
⚖️ Rent vs Buy Calculator for Singapore Property (2026)
Private Property / Condo — Singapore
Wealth comparison · Opportunity cost · Break-even year · Sensitivity analysis
Powered by Buycondo.sg & Listings.sg

📋 CONSULTANT HANDBOOK — THINGS TO TAKE NOTE

Tap to read: how to use this tool + the key rules it applies
🧭 HOW TO USE THIS ANALYSER
Set the property price, financing, and the client's current rent and income. The tool projects two paths side by side — Buy vs Rent & invest the difference — and computes the break-even year where buying overtakes renting on total net wealth. Work down the page: day-1 cash needed → monthly cash flow → the wealth comparison chart → sensitivity table (how the verdict shifts with different appreciation/investment-return assumptions) → the Property Doctor diagnosis. Everything updates live as you drag sliders. Use the Print/PDF/Share buttons at the bottom to send the analysis to the client.
💵 DAY-1 CASH — LTV, BSD, ABSD
A first bank loan needs a minimum 25% down payment — at least 5% in cash, the rest can come from CPF OA. BSD is tiered (1–6%). ABSD applies by profile and is payable in cash within 14 days of the OTP — CPF OA can reimburse afterwards (or pay directly for a new launch). For joint borrowers, MAS uses the higher outstanding-loan count between them — if either borrower already has a home loan, the purchase is treated as a 2nd loan and LTV caps at 45% (55% down payment), not 75%.
📊 TDSR — 55% CAP, STRESS-TESTED
Monthly loan repayments are capped at 55% of gross income, stress-tested at 4% p.a. — not the client's actual package rate. If TDSR fails at 4% even though it looks fine at today's rate, the bank will not approve the loan regardless. The tool shows the live TDSR and, if it fails, what income or down payment would be needed to pass.
⚖️ THE BREAK-EVEN LOGIC
Buying wins once cumulative equity + appreciation overtakes what renting-and-investing the cash difference would have earned — the break-even year is genuinely sensitive to the appreciation assumption, the opportunity-cost return rate, and the rent growth rate, so always check the sensitivity table rather than relying on one scenario. SSD (4-year table from 4 Jul 2025: 16/12/8/4%, none after 4 full years) is factored into the buy-side exit cost if the client sells early.
⚖️ All figures are planning estimates using conservative assumptions. Verify loan terms with the bank, duties with IRAS, and CPF figures at cpf.gov.sg before advising a client to transact — and remember the Property Doctor rule: if the numbers say rent, say so.

Rent vs Buy Calculator for Singapore Property (2026)

Deciding whether to rent or buy a condo in Singapore is one of the biggest financial calls you'll make. This calculator compares the two side by side using the real rules that actually apply — TDSR, LTV tiers, ABSD, Buyer's Stamp Duty, Seller's Stamp Duty and CPF — then projects how your wealth grows either way. It tells you the break-even year (when buying overtakes renting), the cash you need on day one, and gives an honest two-sided verdict — including when renting is the smarter move. Pick a scenario below or enter your own numbers.

📋 PREPARED FOR

Client details for this analysis

⚡ THE QUICK ANSWER

The headline at a glance — full reasoning below

📑 CASE STUDY

A worked example built from your inputs — updates live as you adjust them

🎯 START HERE — PICK A SCENARIO

Load a typical upgrader profile, or go Custom and drive every input yourself

Presets are typical dual-income upgrader scenarios (25% down, income sized to just meet TDSR). The fine-tune sliders — including the master price scale — are in The Property section below.

🏘 YOUR CURRENT RENT

What you pay today · how it grows over time

$4,000/mo
2.0%/yr
↑ Historical SG residential rent CAGR ~2–3%/yr
3.0%/yr
↑ URA long-run: ~3.0%/yr. Avg since 2009: ~4.7%/yr

👥 BORROWERS & OWNERSHIP

Co-owners · age determines how long the bank lends · existing loans reduce how much you can borrow · citizenship determines extra stamp duty

👤 BORROWER 1 (Primary)
$15,000
40 yrs
🏛 CPF OA — Borrower 1
$1,840/mo
👤 BORROWER 2 (Co-owner) — tap to add
＋

🏠 THE PROPERTY

Target purchase · size and price

$2.50M
Sizes property, income (to just meet TDSR) and rent together — sweep price points and watch break-even & the wealth gap move. Touch any slider below to switch to Custom and control each one yourself.
1,200 sqft
$2,200/sqft
$2,640,000
2.0%
25%
↑ Min DP auto-adjusts based on combined outstanding loans (LTV rule)
CASH ON HAND & EXISTING LOAN (LTV PLANNER)
If you have an existing property loan, clearing it can drop you to a better LTV tier (borrow more, smaller down payment). Enter your figures to see whether paying it off is worth it — or whether you should keep the cash for the down payment.
COSTS OF OWNING (NOT PAID WHEN RENTING)
A renter never pays these. They're money you spend as an owner that builds no equity, so they reduce the buy-side advantage in the comparison below.
$450/mo
$150/mo

💰 IF YOU DIDN'T BUY — WHAT ELSE COULD YOU DO WITH THE MONEY?

The renter keeps their cash and invests it. The higher this return, the harder property has to work to beat renting.

If you don't buy, you keep your down payment + stamp duty (~$—) in cash. What does that cash earn if invested instead?

2.5% = CPF Ordinary Account (risk-free savings) · 4% = CPF SA / Singapore bonds · 6–7% = diversified equity portfolio (STI ETF) · 8–10% = active stock/business investment. The higher the return, the harder property must work to justify buying.
4.0%/yr

🩺 PROPERTY DOCTOR — DIAGNOSIS & PRESCRIPTION

Clinical assessment of your buying situation · specific remedies · timing analysis

📊 WEALTH JOURNEY

Projected Buy vs Rent net wealth over time — a forecast based on your appreciation & opportunity-cost sliders, not a guarantee

Line chart: total net wealth if you sold everything today. Crossover = break-even year.
Buy — if you sell today (after agent + legal)
Buy — if you hold (no sale costs)
Rent — cash invested & compounding
The two green lines differ by the cost of selling (~2% agent + legal). The solid line is what you'd actually walk away with; the dashed line is your wealth if you stay put. At year 0 the buyer starts a little below the renter because stamp duty and buying costs are already spent — that gap is real and honest.
What "Buy wealth" means in plain English: If you sold the property today — after paying off the remaining loan and agent fees — this is the cash in your pocket plus CPF returned. It includes your downpayment back, every dollar of principal you repaid (your forced savings), and the property's appreciation gain.
What "Rent wealth" means: If you had taken that same downpayment cash and invested it instead, plus kept investing the monthly savings from paying rent instead of a mortgage — this is what that pot would be worth today.
The gap between the two lines = the financial advantage of one path over the other at that moment in time.

💡 IN PLAIN ENGLISH

What the numbers actually mean for your life — no jargon

🗺 YOUR PROPERTY LIFE PLAN

Year-by-year roadmap · exit windows · age milestones · short / mid / long term strategy

🧭 BEFORE YOU COMMIT — WHAT A GOOD CONSULTANT WILL RAISE

The things a calculator won't tell you, but a real advisor should

⏳ SSD now locks you in for 4 years
From 4 July 2025 the Seller's Stamp Duty holding period is 4 years (was 3): sell in year 1 = 16%, year 2 = 12%, year 3 = 8%, year 4 = 4%, zero after. On a $2M property a year-1 exit is $320,000. Only buy if you can hold at least 4 years — life can change (job posting, divorce, new baby), so build in that buffer.
🏦 Interest rates won't stay where they are
Your monthly figure uses today's rate, but loans reprice. On a large loan, a 1% rate rise can add hundreds to thousands a month. Stress-test yourself at 4% (the MAS floor), not just the teaser rate, and keep a 6–12 month repayment buffer.
📊 TDSR is a ceiling, not a target
Just because you can borrow to 55% of income doesn't mean you should. Maxing TDSR leaves no room for car loans, a second child, or a rate spike. The comfortable zone is well below the limit.
🧊 Property is illiquid & concentrated
Unlike shares, you can't sell one bedroom in an emergency. A sale takes months plus ~2% agent + legal. And for most buyers one property becomes the bulk of net worth — that's concentration risk in a single asset and a single market.
💸 The real cash needs are bigger than the price
Beyond down payment: BSD, any ABSD (due within 14 days — CPF can be used, but for a resale property you pay cash first and reimburse from CPF later), legal, renovation, furnishing, and the monthly property tax + maintenance/MCST. Budget these before committing, not after.
🔁 If you already own — sequence & ABSD matter
Buying a second property triggers ABSD (20% SC / 30% PR / 60% foreigner), due upfront within 14 days (CPF can be used — for a resale property you pay cash first then reimburse from CPF). Selling first then buying avoids it but may mean renting in between; buying first needs the funds upfront with a possible remission claim. Decoupling may help married couples but has its own costs — worth a proper sit-down.
🕒 The 15-month rule (private → HDB)
If you sell private and later want an HDB resale flat, there's currently a 15-month wait (some exemptions for seniors). If an HDB is anywhere in your future plan, factor this in now.
This tool gives you the numbers. The decision also depends on your job security, family plans, risk appetite, and timeline — which is exactly what a face-to-face review is for. Let's map your specific situation properly before you commit.

🔢 YEAR-BY-YEAR BREAKDOWN

Full working — buy wealth vs rent wealth at each milestone

Buy wealth = Property value − outstanding loan − exit costs (agent 2% + $3K legal) · Rent wealth = Entry cash invested at opportunity rate + cumulative monthly cash difference (after deducting the buyer's property tax, MCST & upkeep, which renters avoid) + CPF that the buyer would have poured into the mortgage, accruing at 2.5% in the renter's OA (so neither side gets free credit for CPF)

📐 SENSITIVITY — BREAK-EVEN YEAR

How break-even shifts across appreciation × opportunity cost rates

Each cell = break-even year. Green within 5yr · Gold 6-10yr · Orange 11-15yr · Red beyond 15yr

🧮 HOW EACH SIDE IS CALCULATED

Full transparency on what is included and excluded

📤 SHARE WITH CLIENT

Send directly from here

Client WhatsApp
Client Email
⚖️ DISCLAIMER
This tool is for reference and planning purposes only. All figures are estimates based on assumptions entered. Actual outcomes depend on market conditions, interest rate movements, rental market, and individual financial circumstances. This does not constitute financial, legal or property advice. Please consult a licensed property agent and your conveyancing lawyer before making any decisions.

📚 RENT VS BUY IN SINGAPORE — A QUICK GUIDE

How to read your result

What the break-even year means

The break-even year is the point where buying starts to beat renting. Before it, a renter who invests their spare cash comes out ahead; after it, the owner's equity and leverage pull in front. If you expect to stay in the home well past the break-even year, buying is usually the stronger financial choice. If you might move sooner, renting can be cheaper once you count stamp duty, agent fees and Seller's Stamp Duty.

Why the cash on day one matters

Buying isn't just the down payment. You also pay Buyer's Stamp Duty, legal fees, and — for a second property — ABSD. A first bank loan needs a minimum 25% down payment, of which at least 5% of the price must be in cash; the rest can come from your CPF Ordinary Account. The calculator breaks this into the hard-cash minimum and the CPF-eligible portion so you know exactly what you need liquid.

The rules built into this calculator

This model uses current Singapore regulations: TDSR (repayments capped at 55% of income, stress-tested at 4%), LTV tiers (75% / 45% / 35% by number of outstanding home loans), ABSD (0%/20%/30% for citizens, 5%/30% for PRs, 60% for foreigners), tiered BSD, and the 4-year Seller's Stamp Duty holding period effective from 4 July 2025. CPF is tracked on both the buy and rent sides so neither is unfairly favoured.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to rent or buy a condo in Singapore?
It depends on your holding period, the property's growth, and what you could earn investing your cash instead. Buying usually wins if you hold past the break-even year; renting can win if you'll genuinely invest the difference or may move soon.

How much cash do I need on day one?
A minimum 25% down payment (at least 5% of price in cash, rest from CPF OA), plus Buyer's Stamp Duty, legal fees, and ABSD if it applies. The calculator shows the exact figure and the CPF-eligible split.

What is TDSR?
The Total Debt Servicing Ratio caps loan repayments at 55% of gross income, stress-tested at 4%. Above that, the bank declines. The tool shows your TDSR live and what's needed to pass.

Can I use CPF to pay ABSD?
Yes — ABSD is CPF-eligible. New launch: pay from CPF OA directly. Resale: pay cash first, then reimburse from CPF OA. Due within 14 days of the Option to Purchase.

Two of us buy together and one has an existing loan — what's the LTV?
MAS applies the higher loan count among joint borrowers. One borrower's existing loan makes it a second loan, capping LTV at 45% (a 55% down payment), not 75%.