Rent vs buy calculator · Scotland
Rent vs buy in Renfrewshire: is it cheaper to rent or buy?
Renting leaves you £12,176 better off after 7 years. Owning a 2-bed terraced house costs about £1,131 a month, against £798 to rent the same size home.
- After 7 years
- Rent +£12,176
- Difference in net wealth
- Monthly cost to own
- £1,131
- Mortgage £848, of which £256 is capital
- Monthly cost to rent
- £798
- Rent £673 plus council tax
- Median price
- £164,449
- terraced house
- Cash needed to buy
- £16,445
- £16,445 deposit + £0 LBTT
- Price-to-rent ratio
- 20.4
- Price divided by a year of rent
Renting vs buying in Renfrewshire by home size
| Bedrooms | Price | Rent / mo | Owning vs renting / mo | After 7 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bed | £102,341 | £511 | +£123 | Close £1,540 |
| 2 bed | £164,449 | £673 | +£333 | Rent £12,176 |
| 3 bed | £221,556 | £867 | +£481 | Rent £20,991 |
| 4+ bed | £360,378 | £1,527 | +£653 | Rent £29,490 |
Average rent and house prices in Renfrewshire
The ONS average private rent in Renfrewshire is £800 a month (Aug 2026, provisional), up -1.5% on a year earlier. The median price paid is £159,992 (UK HPI local authority average, Jul 2026). Rents here are published for the Renfrewshire/Inverclyde BRMA Broad Rental Market Area.
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 £1,503 a year (Band C) and is paid whether you rent or buy, so it does not change the verdict.
Renting or buying in Renfrewshire: FAQs
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Renfrewshire?
For a 2-bed home in Renfrewshire, owning costs about £1,131 a month and renting about £798, both including council tax. Renting leaves you £12,176 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 Renfrewshire?
The ONS average private rent in Renfrewshire is £800 a month across all home sizes (Aug 2026, provisional), with £511 for 1 bed, £673 for 2 bed, £867 for 3 bed, £1,527 for 4 or more bed. Rents rose -1.5% over the past year.
What is the average house price in Renfrewshire?
The median price paid in Renfrewshire is £159,992 (UK HPI local authority average, Jul 2026). The calculator uses £164,449 for a terraced house, the property type typical for a 2-bed home.
How much is stamp duty on an average home in Renfrewshire?
A first-time buyer paying £164,449 would pay £0 in LBTT. With a 10% deposit of £16,445, the cash needed on day one is about £16,445.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Renfrewshire?
About 20.4: the 2-bed price is 20.4 times a year of rent. Higher ratios favour renting; lower ratios favour buying.
Which home size is best value to buy in Renfrewshire?
On the default assumptions, a 1-bed home gives buying its strongest position: buying ahead by £1,540 after 7 years.
Areas with a similar price-to-rent ratio
Compare with the Scotland average or browse every local authority.