[LeonM]

> I've been here for more than a decade.

I think that is where the difference is.

The buy-vs-rent discussion is more aimed at first-time buyers. If you already own a property that is largely paid off and has had the benefit of appreciation over the time you owned it, then yes, it may be more beneficial to keep the property, as you have seen from the calculator.

If the answer was always that rent would be cheaper, then the calculators wouldn't have to exist ;-)

> housing cost would almost DOUBLE

Except that you will now have the profits from selling your previous property, which you can invest. That investment payout can partially or even completely offset the cost of renting, which means your monthly costs will be much lower.

Say you make 500k by selling your house, and invest that against 6% ROI, then you make 30k/year passive income, thats 2.5k/month. So deduct that from the rent you'd pay and compare again.

[esseph]

Except in a LCOL/MCOL you won't make $500k, in fact that may even be double the price of the home!