Rent vs buy calculator · Northern Ireland
Rent vs buy in Northern Ireland: is it cheaper to rent or buy?
Renting leaves you £24,274 better off after 7 years. Owning a 2-bed all property types costs about £1,656 a month, against £764 to rent the same size home.
- After 7 years
- Rent +£24,274
- Difference in net wealth
- Monthly cost to own
- £1,656
- Mortgage £1,408, of which £425 is capital
- Monthly cost to rent
- £764
- Rent £764 plus council tax
- Median price
- £273,000
- all property types
- Cash needed to buy
- £27,300
- £27,300 deposit + £0 SDLT
- Price-to-rent ratio
- 29.8
- Price divided by a year of rent
Renting vs buying in Northern Ireland by home size
| Bedrooms | Price | Rent / mo | Owning vs renting / mo | After 7 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bed | £273,000 | £621 | +£1,035 | Rent £40,570 |
| 2 bed | £273,000 | £764 | +£892 | Rent £24,274 |
| 3 bed | £273,000 | £875 | +£781 | Rent £11,625 |
| 4+ bed | £273,000 | £1,223 | +£433 | Buy £28,032 |
Average rent and house prices in Northern Ireland
The ONS average private rent in Northern Ireland is £874 a month (Jun 2026), up 1.6% on a year earlier. The median price paid is £273,000 (UK HPI average used as a fallback. No Northern Ireland price is loaded.).
Default scenario: 2-bed home, 7 years stay, 10% deposit, 4.80% fixed mortgage, monthly difference invested in a S&S ISA at 7.5%. Council tax is £0 a year (Band C) and is paid whether you rent or buy, so it does not change the verdict.
Renting or buying in Northern Ireland: FAQs
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Northern Ireland?
For a 2-bed home in Northern Ireland, owning costs about £1,656 a month and renting about £764, both including council tax. Renting leaves you £24,274 better off after 7 years. This assumes a 2-bed home, 7 years stay, 10% deposit, 4.80% fixed mortgage, monthly difference invested in a S&S ISA at 7.5%.
What is the average rent in Northern Ireland?
The ONS average private rent in Northern Ireland is £874 a month across all home sizes (Jun 2026), with £621 for 1 bed, £764 for 2 bed, £875 for 3 bed, £1,223 for 4 or more bed. Rents rose 1.6% over the past year.
What is the average house price in Northern Ireland?
The median price paid in Northern Ireland is £273,000 (UK HPI average used as a fallback. No Northern Ireland price is loaded.). The calculator uses £273,000 for a all property types, the property type typical for a 2-bed home.
How much is stamp duty on an average home in Northern Ireland?
A first-time buyer paying £273,000 would pay £0 in SDLT. With a 10% deposit of £27,300, the cash needed on day one is about £27,300.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Northern Ireland?
About 29.8: the 2-bed price is 29.8 times a year of rent. Higher ratios favour renting; lower ratios favour buying.
Which home size is best value to buy in Northern Ireland?
On the default assumptions, a 4+-bed home gives buying its strongest position: buying ahead by £28,032 after 7 years.
Areas with a similar price-to-rent ratio
Browse every local authority.