Rent Compare Calculator
Short answer
Example: Rental A at $1,800 rent + $225 in fees, utilities, and parking = $2,025 per month; Rental B at $1,950 all-in = $1,950 per month — B is $75 per month ($900 over 12 months) cheaper despite the higher rent. The winner here is on cost only, not on quality or location.
Last verified: 2026-10-25. This is general information, not legal advice. City ordinances may be stricter and may override state rules. Check the official source for your city and state before acting.
Two listings with different headline rents cannot be compared on rent alone. One may include utilities and parking while the other charges them separately. This tool totals everything monthly and over the full lease term for both rentals, so the comparison is like-for-like on cost. It is deliberately different from the Lease Renewal Comparator, which compares renewing your current lease against moving — this tool compares two new rentals against each other.
This is general information, not legal advice. City ordinances may be stricter and may override state rules. Check the official source for your city and state before acting.
Compare two rentals
Formula
Total monthly cost (each rental): rent + monthly fees + monthly utilities + monthly parking. Total lease cost: total monthly cost × lease term in months. Difference: the absolute difference between the two total monthly costs.
Worked example
Rental A: $1,800 rent + $50 fees + $100 utilities + $75 parking = $2,025 per month; over 12 months = $24,300. Rental B: $1,950 rent + $0 + $0 + $0 = $1,950 per month; over 12 months = $23,400. Difference: $75 per month, $900 over the lease. Rental B wins on cost only, even though its headline rent is higher.
Limitations
- Cost only. This tool says nothing about size, condition, location, commute, safety, lease flexibility, or landlord quality — a cheaper rental can still be the worse choice overall.
- Only recurring monthly items are included. One-time costs (deposit, application fees, moving costs) are excluded — use the Move-in Cost Calculator for those.
- If the two lease terms differ, the lease totals are not directly comparable; use the monthly difference for the headline comparison.
Sources
- No state comparison law is asserted on this page; figures come from the listings or leases being compared.
- For renew-vs-move comparison instead, see the Lease Renewal Comparator.
Last verified: 2026-10-25.
Next step: total the one-time move-in cash for your winner with the Move-in Cost Calculator, or compare renewing vs moving with the Lease Renewal Comparator.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the Lease Renewal Comparator?
This tool compares two new rentals against each other. The Lease Renewal Comparator compares renewing your current lease against moving to a new home, including moving costs and break-even timing.
Should I pick the cheaper rental?
Not on cost alone. Compare size, condition, location, and lease terms too — this tool only settles the cost part.
What if utilities are included in the rent?
Enter $0 for utilities for that rental. Only enter amounts charged separately, so the totals stay like-for-like.