Rent vs buy in Tustin, CA
In Tustin, California, typical rent is $3,229 /mo and a typical home costs $1,145,586.
Over 7 years, renting comes out $155k ahead
The calculation uses Tustin's typical figures for rent and home value, a 20% down payment and today's mortgage rate. The break-even point arrives in year 18.
This is a clearly labeled opinion, and the math is shown. The figures are estimates rather than quotes. Adjust any number, and the stamp will change.
- Renting leads by
- $155k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- In year 18 when owning catches up
- Actual cost of ownership
- Each month: $9,574 year 1, against $3,229 rent
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In Tustin, is it cheaper to rent or buy?
Including the money you get back when you sell, renting costs $155,348 less over 7 years. For the first 17 years, renting costs less. By year 18, owning has caught up.
The renting option. The owning option. Running net cost by year.
Average rent versus the mortgage payment in Tustin
At Tustin's typical price, these are all the monthly costs for year 1. The rent and mortgage aren't the whole story.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $3,229 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $6,246 | $5,505 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $678 | 0.71% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $97 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $955 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $7,975 | $741 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,862 | The amount the cash would earn at 8.3% each year |
| Buying costs, spread out | $477 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $9,574 | Cash paid out, minus the equity part, plus the two items listed above |
The figures behind the Tustin verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $1,145,586
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $3,229 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, California, 1995 to 2025
- 5.3% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Tustin
- 0.71% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Tustin
- $97 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
What would reverse the result in Tustin?
Each line shows where the 7-year verdict for Tustin changes. All other values remain as they are.
When renting comes out ahead
- Home prices grow by less than 6.8% each year. We use California's long-run rate of 5.3%.
- The mortgage rate remains above 4.82%.
- A comparable home costs less than $4,890 to rent each month; the typical local rent is $3,229.
- You move sometime before year 18.
Buying comes out ahead when
- Home prices rise at more than 6.8% each year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 4.82% (today's is 7.24%).
- If you rented the same home, you would pay more than $4,890 a month.
- You remain there for 18 years or more.
How Tustin compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Tustin | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $1,145,586 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $3,229 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 29.6 (#75 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 6.9% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 3.2% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.71% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 51% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More California cities
- Rent. Los Angeles, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $111k.
- Rent. San Diego, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $108k.
- Rent. San Jose, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $210k.
- Rent. San Francisco, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $128k.
- Buy. Fresno, CA. Buying comes out ahead by $22k.
- Toss-up. Sacramento, CA. Renting leads by $3k, making it a toss-up.
- Rent wins for Long Beach, CA, with a $111k advantage.
- Rent. Oakland, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $44k.
- Buy. Bakersfield, CA. Buying comes out ahead by $11k.
- Rent. Anaheim, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $115k.
- Buy. Stockton, CA. Buying comes out ahead by $16k.
- Rent. Riverside, CA. Renting comes out ahead by $27k.