Rent vs buy in Alhambra, CA
In Alhambra, California, the typical rent is $2,645 /mo and the typical home value is $911,097.
Renting comes out ahead by $114k over 7 years
Alhambra's typical home value and rent, plus 20% down and today's mortgage rate, are the assumptions. The break-even year is 17.
An opinion, clearly labeled, with the math shown. These figures are estimates, not quotes. The stamp updates whenever you change a number.
- How far renting is ahead
- $114k after 7 years
- When the two costs match
- Year 17 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- $7,589 per month year 1, against $2,645 rent
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The stamp uses Alhambra's typical rent, plus its typical home value. You can flip the result with your rent, price and years.
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Is renting or buying cheaper in Alhambra?
Over 7 years, renting costs $113,781 less, counting the money you get back when you sell. For the first 16 years, renting costs less. In year 17, owning catches up.
Renting a place. Owning a home. Net cost to date, by year.
Alhambra average rent compared with mortgage payment
Rent and mortgage payments don't tell the whole story. Here are all monthly costs at Alhambra's typical price in year 1.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,645 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $4,967 | $4,378 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $509 | 0.67% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $82 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $759 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $6,317 | $589 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,481 | The amount the cash would earn yearly, using an 8.3% rate |
| Buying costs, spread out | $380 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $7,589 | Cash paid, minus equity, plus both items listed above |
Alhambra verdict explained by the numbers
- Typical home value: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $911,097
- Typical rent: Zillow ZORI, September 2026
- Per month: $2,645
- Private mortgage insurance is avoided with 20% down, and the engine does not model it.
- 20%
- Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Growth in home pricesFHFA house price index for California, 1995 to 2025
- Per year: 5.3%
- Growth in rentCPI rent of primary residence, annual growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% each year
- Savings return: 60% S&P 500 with dividends plus 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced each year, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% each year
- Tax on the propertyCensus ACS 2020-2024, Alhambra
- 0.67% of the value
- Insurance on the homeCensus ACS 2020-2024, Alhambra
- $82 per month
- Home upkeep: Fannie Mae: 1% to 4%, at the low end
- Each year: 1% of value
- Costs of buying: Freddie Mac: 2% to 5%, at the midpoint
- The price times 3.5%
- Costs when you sellAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of the price
In Alhambra, what would flip it?
Each line shows the point where Alhambra's 7-year verdict changes, with everything else staying as it is.
Renting comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise by less than 6.7% a year (we use California's long-run rate of 5.3%).
- The mortgage rate remains above 5.01%.
- A similar home rents below $3,860 each month (the typical rent here is $2,645).
- Your move happens before year 17.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise by more than 6.7% a year.
- You lock in a mortgage rate under 5.01% (today's rate is 7.24%).
- The same home would cost more than $3,860 a month to rent.
- Your time here reaches 17 years or more.
How Alhambra compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Alhambra | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $911,097 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,645 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 28.7 (#84 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 4.3% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.67% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 59% | 42% |
Data sources: Zillow ZHVI, ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024 for these figures.
Other California cities
- Renting wins by $111k in Los Angeles, CA.
- Renting wins by $108k in San Diego, CA.
- Renting wins by $210k in San Jose, CA.
- Renting wins by $128k in San Francisco, CA.
- Buying wins by $22k in Fresno, CA.
- It's a toss-up in Sacramento, CA: renting is ahead by $3k.
- Renting wins by $111k in Long Beach, CA.
- Renting wins by $44k in Oakland, CA.
- Buy. Bakersfield, CA. Buyers come out ahead by $11k.
- Rent. Anaheim, CA. Renters come out ahead by $115k.
- Buying wins by $16k in Stockton, CA.
- Rent. Riverside, CA. Renters come out ahead by $27k.