It depends on appreciation. Comparing $2,200 rent with a $430,000 Apopka purchase at 10% down and 7.18%, renting stays ahead for more than 15 years if home prices rise 3% a year, and is about $110,000 ahead after seven. If prices rise 5% a year, buying pulls ahead in year 14; at 7.8%, the Orlando metro's five-year pace through mid-2026, it pulls ahead in year 4.
How the comparison works
Both households are assumed to spend the same cash each year. The renter starts by investing what the buyer spends up front: the down payment plus 3% of the price for closing costs. After that, whoever has the cheaper housing that year invests the difference at the return you enter.
The owner's yearly cost is principal and interest on a 30-year loan, property tax with homestead and insurance (both raised 3% a year), upkeep as a share of the home's value, and PMI for the first seven years when the down payment is under 20%. The owner builds wealth through loan paydown and appreciation, less 7% of the home's value for the cost of selling.
The renter's yearly cost is rent, rising at the rate you set. The renter's wealth is the invested account.
Net cost is cash spent minus wealth built. The side with the lower net cost at your time horizon is ahead, and the first year buying is lower is the break-even.
The assumption that decides it
Appreciation swings the result more than anything else, and recent history gives very different answers. The FHFA index for the Orlando metro area rose 0.8% in the year to the second quarter of 2026, 3.0% a year over three years, 7.8% a year over five and 8.2% a year over ten. The five- and ten-year figures include the 2021 to 2022 surge. The slider starts at 3%, and the figures cover the whole metro, not Apopka alone.
Rent is the other side. November 2026 listing data put a three-bedroom in Apopka at about $2,150 to $2,380 a month depending on the source. Zillow's Apopka rent index was $2,150 against $2,300 a year earlier, so rent increases are not guaranteed: try 0% and see how the lines move.
Upkeep defaults to 1% of value a year. Fannie Mae's consumer guidance suggests budgeting 1% to 4%, and in Florida a roof replacement is the large item to plan for.
What the numbers leave out
The comparison is financial only. It does not price stability, the freedom to renovate, or the flexibility to move on short notice. It also assumes the renter really invests the difference every year. HOA and CDD charges are not included; if the home has them, the owner's costs are higher.
For the monthly side, see the mortgage calculator and affordability. For cash up front, see closing costs. Landlords can run the same house through the rental property calculator. More in the guides and neighborhood pages.
Where the numbers come from
| Input | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando metro home price change | 0.8% last year; 3.0% a year over 3; 7.8% over 5; 8.2% over 10 (through 2026 Q2) | FHFA All-Transactions index via FRED |
| Apopka three-bedroom rent | $2,150 to $2,380 a month (November 2026 listings) | Zillow, Zumper, Apartments.com |
| 30-year fixed average | 7.18% (week of November 5, 2026) | Freddie Mac PMMS |
| City of Apopka millage, 2026 | 16.0079 mills, with homestead | Orange County Property Appraiser |
| Average insurance, Orange County | $3,610 a year with wind (report of July 1, 2026) | Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, as quoted by LiveCovered |
| Maintenance budget | 1% to 4% of value a year | Fannie Mae |
| Closing costs, selling costs, tax and insurance growth | 3% to buy; 7% to sell; 3% a year | This calculator's assumptions |
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Apopka right now?
On monthly cash, renting. A $2,200 rent is well below the roughly $3,667 all-in payment on a $430,000 home with 10% down at 7.18% in November 2026. Over time buying can still win, but in this example only if prices rise close to 5% a year or more.
How long do I need to stay for buying to make sense?
It depends on appreciation. With the example on this page, buying is ahead from year 4 if prices rise 7.8% a year, from year 14 at 5%, and not within 15 years at 3%. A larger down payment, a lower rate or a higher rent all bring the break-even closer.
How fast do home prices rise in the Orlando area?
It has varied a lot. The FHFA index for the Orlando metro rose 0.8% in the year to mid-2026, about 3.0% a year over three years, 7.8% a year over five and 8.2% a year over ten. Past growth does not predict the next few years, and these are metro figures, not Apopka's alone.
Why does the calculator take 7% off the home's value?
To be fair to the renter. An owner cannot turn a house into cash for free, so the tool subtracts 7% of the value as an allowance for selling costs before counting equity. Your actual cost depends on the fees you negotiate; the seller net sheet itemizes them.
Want to run your own numbers with real listings and a lender's quote? Talk to Robert or call 352-504-6371.
