BIGLY

The Great Housing Shift: Renting vs. Owning in 2026

How the math has changed since 2022.

If you feel like your bank account is under siege every time the first of the month rolls around, you aren't imagining things. Whether you're writing a check to a landlord or a mortgage servicer, the financial landscape has shifted dramatically since 2022.

But as we settle into 2026, the "Rent vs. Buy" debate has taken some surprising turns. Here is the breakdown of how costs have evolved over the last four years and where the math stands today.

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The 2022 Flashback: A Different World

Four years ago, the housing market was in a state of pandemic-fueled frenzy. Interest rates were at historic lows, making debt "cheap," even as prices began to climb.

• Owning: Mortgage rates were hovering between 3.5% and 4.5%. While home prices were rising, those low rates kept monthly payments relatively manageable.
• Renting: The average U.S. rent was roughly $1,800. Supply was tight, but the massive spikes of 2023 hadn't fully peaked yet.

The 2026 Reality: The Numbers Today

Metric	Early 2022	Early 2026 (Now)	Change
Mortgage Rates	~3.8%	~6.3%	+65%
Median Home Price	~$380k	~$430k	+13%
Avg. Monthly Rent	~$1,800	~$2,150	+19%

Why Owning is the "New Luxury"

The biggest change since 2022 isn't just the price of the house—it's the cost of borrowing the money. With rates significantly higher than four years ago, the interest on a standard loan has added roughly $800 to $1,200 more per month to the cost of the same house. In 2026, owning is now frequently $1,000+ more expensive per month than renting an equivalent home.

Why Renting is Stabilizing

While renting is more expensive than it was in 2022, the rate of increase has slowed. In many cities, a surge of new apartment construction has finally hit the market. You're paying more than you did four years ago, but you finally have more leverage (and landlord concessions) than you did during the 2023 spike.

The Bottom Line: Relative to 2022, both options are more expensive. However, relative to each other, renting is currently the clear winner for monthly cash flow in most major markets.