Rent vs buy in Apopka, FL
In Apopka, Florida, the typical rent is $2,064 /mo and the typical home is $394,805.
Buying costs $29k less over 7 years
Using Apopka's typical rent, its home value, 20% down and today's mortgage rate. You reach break-even in year 5.
An opinion, clearly labeled, with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. The stamp updates when you change a number.
- Owning is ahead by
- $29k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 5 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of owning
- $3,417 /mo year 1, against $2,064 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp draws on Apopka's typical rent and its home value. Your rent, price and years can change the result.
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Is buying or renting cheaper in Apopka?
Over 7 years, buying saves $28,827 after including the money you get back when you sell. In year 5, owning's net cost falls below renting's and remains lower.
Renting. Owning. Net cost by year so far.
Average rent compared with mortgage payment in Apopka
Rent and mortgage payments don't show the full cost. These are all monthly costs for year 1 at Apopka's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,064 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $2,152 | $1,897 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $227 | 0.69% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $158 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $329 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $2,866 | $255 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $642 | What the cash would earn yearly at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $165 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $3,417 | Cash out, minus the equity part, plus the two amounts above |
The numbers behind Apopka's result
- Typical home value: Zillow data, ZHVI, September 2026
- $394,805
- Typical rent: Zillow data, ZORI, September 2026
- $2,064 a month
- A 20% down payment avoids private mortgage insurance. 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 covering Florida, 1995 to 2025
- 5.4% per year
- Rent growthyearly growth in CPI rent of primary residence, 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% per year
- Savings return60% in S&P 500 with dividends and 40% in 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced annually, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% per year
- Property tax (Census data): ACS 2020-2024, Apopka
- 0.69% of the value
- Home insurance (Census data): ACS 2020-2024, Apopka
- $158 a month
- MaintenanceFannie Mae figures, low end of the 1% to 4% range
- Each year, 1% of value.
- Buying costsFreddie Mac source, midpoint of the 2% to 5% range
- 3.5% of the price
- Selling costs: Agent commission and closing costs
- 6% of the price
In Apopka, what would flip it?
Each line marks the threshold where Apopka's 7-year verdict flips, with everything else unchanged.
Renting has the advantage when
- Home prices grow by less than 4.5% each year, though 5.4%, Florida's long-run rate, is used instead.
- Mortgage rate stays above 8.53%.
- A similar home rents for under $1,760 a month (the typical rate here is $2,064).
- Before year 5, you move.
When buying wins
- Home prices rise by more than 4.5% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate below 8.53%; today it's 7.24%.
- You would pay over $1,760 each month to rent the same home.
- You remain for 5 years or more.
Apopka compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Apopka | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $394,805 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,064 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 15.9 (#561 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6.7% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 3.2% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.69% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 22% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow's ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
Other Florida cities
- Buying wins by $27k in Jacksonville, FL.
- Buying wins by $27k in Miami, FL.
- Buying wins by $19k in Tampa, FL.
- Buying wins by $17k in Orlando, FL.
- Buying wins by $41k in St. Petersburg, FL.
- Buying wins by $48k in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- Buying wins by $37k in Hialeah, FL.
- Buying wins by $36k in Cape Coral, FL.
- Buying wins by $11k in Tallahassee, FL.
- Buying is the better choice in Fort Lauderdale, FL, with a $25k advantage.
- Buying is the better choice in Pembroke Pines, FL, with a $22k advantage.
- Buying is the better choice in Hollywood, FL, with a $17k advantage.