Rent vs Buy in Hamilton (2026)
Start with Hamilton's numbers: a $729,800 benchmark home and $1,656 average two-bedroom rent. Change anything. The calculator plays out buying against renting and investing the difference, year by year, with Hamilton's property tax, CMHC insurance, Ontario land transfer tax and selling costs. It tells you who ends up with more, and when.
Where the lines cross is the year buying pulls ahead.
| Month one | Owning | Renting |
|---|---|---|
| Cash out each month | $4,757.85 | $1,681.00 |
| Of that, gone for good (interest, tax, upkeep, fees, or rent) | $3,609.87 | $1,681.00 |
| Cash needed up front (20% down, land transfer tax, legal) | $158,575 | invested instead |
| When you sell in year 10: commission and legal | − $49,053 | — |
| Net worth after 10 years | $514,415 | $779,398 |
If you stay longer or shorter, or prices grow differently
| Stay | Prices 0%/yr | Prices 2%/yr | Prices 3%/yr | Prices 4%/yr | Prices 5%/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 yrs | Rent +$231,510 | Rent +$163,376 | Rent +$127,182 | Rent +$89,512 | Rent +$50,323 |
| 10 yrs | Rent +$471,403 | Rent +$340,378 | Rent +$264,983 | Rent +$182,259 | Rent +$91,600 |
| 15 yrs | Rent +$788,703 | Rent +$604,744 | Rent +$489,158 | Rent +$354,810 | Rent +$199,072 |
| 20 yrs | Rent +$1,210,380 | Rent +$990,065 | Rent +$836,637 | Rent +$646,249 | Rent +$411,381 |
| 25 yrs | Rent +$1,772,881 | Rent +$1,541,983 | Rent +$1,358,303 | Rent +$1,111,682 | Rent +$784,864 |
Year by year
| Year | Owner cost | Rent | Home value | Mortgage left | Owner net | Renter net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $57,094 | $20,172 | $751,900 | $570,224 | $144,081 | $205,012 |
| 2 | $57,655 | $20,589 | $774,457 | $555,879 | $179,855 | $254,378 |
| 3 | $58,232 | $21,015 | $797,691 | $540,941 | $216,865 | $306,858 |
| 4 | $58,827 | $21,450 | $821,621 | $525,386 | $255,154 | $362,646 |
| 5 | $59,440 | $21,895 | $846,270 | $509,189 | $294,768 | $421,950 |
| 6 | $60,071 | $22,348 | $871,658 | $492,322 | $335,753 | $484,989 |
| 7 | $60,721 | $22,811 | $897,808 | $474,758 | $378,160 | $551,998 |
| 8 | $61,390 | $23,284 | $924,742 | $456,468 | $422,037 | $623,225 |
| 9 | $62,080 | $23,766 | $952,484 | $437,423 | $467,437 | $698,931 |
| 10 | $62,790 | $24,259 | $981,059 | $417,591 | $514,415 | $779,398 |
Show the math
Owner: mortgage on $584,000 at 4.09% over 25 years. Property tax 1.56% and maintenance 1% of the growing value, plus condo fees and insurance. Land transfer tax $11,075 and legal fees up front. 5% selling costs at the end. Renter: pays rent rising 2.1% a year, invests the owner's up-front cash and, each year, whatever owning would have cost more than renting, at 6% tax-free. Net worth compares home equity after selling costs with the renter's portfolio. Not modelled: capital gains tax on the renter's portfolio at the end (the home is tax-free as a principal residence), utilities differences, and the value of stability or flexibility.
Rent vs buy in Hamilton: three horizons
Benchmark home, 10% down, 4.5% mortgage, 3% price growth, 3% rent growth, 5% investment return, 5% selling costs.
| Stay for | Buyer's net worth | Renter's net worth | Better off |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | $204,043 | $362,229 | Renting by $158,186 |
| 10 years | $436,261 | $711,538 | Renting by $275,277 |
| 25 years | $1,452,035 | $2,442,267 | Renting by $990,232 |
The answer depends on the assumptions. At 1% price growth over 10 years, renting wins by $419,907. Try your own rent, price and return. The main rent vs buy page explains how the model works and where it falls short.
medium confidence: Hamilton-Burlington MLS HPI composite (-4.9% y/y, -1.0% m/m). Cornerstone's August 2026 update ('August Home Sales Hit Decade Low as Benchmark Prices Show Modest Monthly Movement') is published only inside a JS app at https://cornerstone.inc/housing-market-statistics/ and its figures could not be extracted. 2026 total (municipal + education) residential RT rate for the former City of Hamilton, urban with full-time fire = 0.015572337. General components: municipal 0.612% + provincially shared 0.201% + police 0.244% + education 0.153% plus Hamilton area rates (transit, fire, area). Suburban communities are lower (e.g. Ancaster urban 1.4276%). Ontario: MPAC assessments frozen at fully phased-in January 1, 2016 current values for the 2026 tax year (mpac.ca/en/UnderstandingYourAssessment/AssessmentCycle), so assessed value is far below market value; apply this rate to 2016-CVA, not to today's price.
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If you decide to buy: what to line up first
Three programs change the down payment math and all need paperwork before closing.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
- Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hamilton?
- Month to month, owning the $729,800 benchmark home costs about $5,437.54 in year one (mortgage, tax, maintenance, insurance) against $1,656 of rent. Over 10 years, with 3% price growth and the renter investing the difference at 5%, renting comes out ahead by $275,277.
- How long do I need to stay in Hamilton for buying to pay off?
- In the default scenario renting stays ahead for the whole 10 years. Buying needs faster price growth or a longer stay (after 25 years the gap is $990,232 in favour of renting).
- What is the average rent in Hamilton?
- $1,656 a month for a two-bedroom apartment in CMHC's October 2025 Rental Market Survey, which covers purpose-built rentals. Newer buildings and condos rented by owners are usually higher.
- What does a $729,800 home cost to carry?
- About $5,437.54 a month in year one: the mortgage on $656,820 plus the CMHC premium at 4.5%, $947 of property tax, 1% of value a year for maintenance and $100 of insurance.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- Foreign Buyer Rules in Canada to 2027The federal foreign buyer ban runs to January 1, 2027. Ontario's 25% tax, Toronto's 10%, BC's 20% and Nova Scotia's 10% apply either way. Who is exempt.
- The Underused Housing Tax Has EndedNo UHT return or payment is needed for 2025 and later years. Returns for 2022 to 2024 are still owed, with penalties. Who was affected and what to do now.
Sources
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these primary sources. Data last verified .
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