Rent vs buy in Ventura, CA
In Ventura, California, the typical rent is $2,898 /mo and the typical home is $885,887.
Renting comes out ahead by $73k over 7 years
Today's mortgage rate applies, along with 20% down and Ventura's typical rent and home value. The break-even point occurs in year 13.
Clearly labelled opinion, with the math shown. Estimates, not quotes. If you change a number, the stamp changes.
- Renting leads by
- $73k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- Year 13 when owning catches up
- Real cost of owning
- $7,309 a month year 1, against $2,898 rent
Change my numbers
Ventura's typical rent and home value set the stamp. Your rent, price and number of years can change the result.
Do your numbers differ from the city's?
Enter your rent, price and down payment. The stamp updates with your numbers.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ventura?
Over 7 years, renting costs $73,121 less, including the money you get back when you sell. For the first 12 years, renting costs less. By year 13, owning catches up.
Rent. Buy. Net cost so far, shown by year.
Ventura: average rent against the mortgage payment
Rent and mortgage payments don't show the whole story. At Ventura's typical price, here are all monthly costs for year 1.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,898 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $4,830 | $4,257 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $413 | 0.56% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $91 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $738 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $6,072 | $573 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $1,440 | The amount the cash would earn at 8.3% each year |
| Buying costs, spread out | $369 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $7,309 | Cash out, minus the equity portion, plus the two amounts listed above |
The figures behind Ventura's verdict
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $885,887
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $2,898 /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, Ventura
- 0.56% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Ventura
- $91 /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 flip the result in Ventura?
Each line marks the point where Ventura's 7-year verdict changes. Everything else stays as it is.
Renting wins if
- Home prices grow at less than 6.2% a year. We use California's long-run rate of 5.3%.
- The mortgage rate holds above 5.77%.
- A similar home rents for under $3,680 a month. The local typical rent is $2,898.
- Your move happens before year 13.
Buying wins if
- Home prices grow at more than 6.2% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 5.77%; today's rate is 7.24%.
- The same home would cost more than $3,680 a month to rent.
- You stay for 13 years or more.
How Ventura compares with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Ventura | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $885,887 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $2,898 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 25.5 (#130 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 5% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 4.1% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.56% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 44% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities across California
- 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, with renting ahead by $3k.
- Renting wins by $111k in Long Beach, CA.
- Renting wins by $44k in Oakland, CA.
- Buying wins by $11k in Bakersfield, CA.
- Renting wins by $115k in Anaheim, CA.
- Buying wins by $16k in Stockton, CA.
- Renting wins by $27k in Riverside, CA.