Tax and budget · Budget and housing
Rent or buy in 2026: which makes you better off?
Updated on
Since 1 November 2026, withholding tax on pay has been calculated differently (Royal Decree of 27 September 2026). The calculations on this page still follow the previous rules: for pay received from 1 November, withholding tax and net pay may differ. Update in progress.
For a €280,000 home in Wallonia, compared with rent of €950 a month, buying leaves a net worth of about €390,806 after 20 years, against €228,330 if you rent and invest the difference; buying takes the lead from the 4th year. With other assumptions, the result changes: over a short period, the purchase costs (about €18,547 here) often make renting the winner.
The tool compares, year by year, the indexed rent with the owner’s costs: monthly repayment, property tax (onroerende voorheffing / précompte immobilier), maintenance. All assumptions are visible and can be changed. Calculation as of 8 October 2026, with no tax benefit for a new loan.
Compare renting and buying
Enter the rent, the price of the home, your deposit and the loan. Change the assumptions (price, savings, maintenance): the chart and the table show your net worth in both cases, year by year. Nothing is sent: everything is calculated in your browser.
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The example, year by year
A €280,000 home in Wallonia, only own home, €50,000 deposit, loan of €248,600 at 3.5% over 25 years (monthly repayment of €1,237.24). Against this: rent of €950 a month, indexed by 3.1% a year. Whoever spends less each year invests the difference at 3%.
| Year | Rent for the year | Owner’s costs | Net worth if buying | Net worth if renting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase (year 0) | — | — | €31,453 | €50,000 |
| Year 1 | €11,400 | €19,025 | €44,837 | €59,125 |
| Year 2 | €11,753 | €19,138 | €58,620 | €68,284 |
| Year 3 | €12,118 | €19,254 | €72,813 | €77,469 |
| Year 5 | €12,881 | €19,495 | €102,482 | €95,887 |
| Year 10 | €15,005 | €20,158 | €184,772 | €141,815 |
| Year 15 | €17,479 | €20,917 | €280,162 | €186,522 |
| Year 20 | €20,362 | €21,785 | €390,806 | €228,330 |
What tips the balance
The result depends mainly on the period, how prices change, the rent compared with the monthly repayment and the return on your savings. The table changes one assumption at a time.
| Scenario | After 10 years | After 20 years | Buying becomes more advantageous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tool assumptions | Buying +€42,957 | Buying +€162,476 | Year 4 |
| Stable home prices (0%) | Renting +€31,820 | Buying +€2,223 | Year 20 |
| Prices +4% a year | Buying +€96,576 | Buying +€303,171 | Year 3 |
| Savings invested at 5% a year | Buying +€20,931 | Buying +€81,790 | Year 6 |
| Rent of €750 instead of €950 | Buying +€11,505 | Buying +€77,527 | Year 8 |
| Loan interest rate of 4.5% | Buying +€18,489 | Buying +€114,462 | Year 7 |
| Brussels, same price | Buying +€42,046 | Buying +€162,364 | Year 5 |
| Not your only own home | Buying +€4,732 | Buying +€110,567 | Year 10 |
- The period: purchase costs are lost straight away. If you plan to sell within a few years, renting often wins. Resale costs (estate agent, certificates) are not counted.
- Prices: nobody knows what prices will be in 20 years. ING forecasts about +2.5% for 2027: also test stable prices.
- The return on savings: the tenant invests their deposit. A savings account earns little; investing in shares can earn more, with risks.
- Your budget: the monthly repayment, property tax and maintenance often cost more than rent in the first years. First check how much you can borrow.
The owner’s costs
On purchase: registration duties (registratierechten / droits d’enregistrement): 3% in Wallonia, 2% in Flanders for your only home, 12.5% in Brussels after an allowance of €200,000; notary fees and the costs of the loan deed. Details by Region: how much can I borrow.
Every year: property tax. It is calculated on the cadastral income, multiplied by 2.3 in 2026, then by the Region’s rate and the municipal and provincial surcharges (opcentiemen / centimes additionnels).
| Region | Regional rate | Surcharges (example) | Property tax per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wallonia | 1.25% | 4,695 (Bernissart (Hainaut)) | €1,379 |
| Brussels | 1.25% | 4,839 (Anderlecht) | €1,420 |
| Flanders | 3.97% | 1,092 (Aalst (East Flanders)) | €1,089 |
Also allow for maintenance and repairs (the tool takes 1% of the value a year, adjustable), fire insurance and, in a flat, service charges. The tenant pays the indexed rent and the rental deposit.
Indexed rent
The lease allows rent to be indexed once a year, using the health index. Over the last ten years, the health index has risen by 3.1% a year on average: this is the assumption the tool suggests. The Federal Planning Bureau forecasts inflation of 3.7% in 2026 and in 2027. To calculate an exact indexation: rent indexation.
Indicative estimate, not financial advice. The assumptions are choices, not forecasts: change them in the tool. A notary, your bank or an independent adviser can refine the calculation.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to rent or buy in 2026?
It depends mainly on the period. In the example on this page (a €280,000 home against rent of €950), buying leaves more net worth after 20 years (€162,476 more), and also after 10 years (€42,957). With stable prices, low rent or a quick resale, renting can win.
After how many years does buying pay off?
In the example, from the 4th year. Purchase costs (duties, notary, loan) are lost on the first day; it takes a few years of capital repayment and price rises to offset them.
How is property tax calculated?
Cadastral income × 2.3 (2026 coefficient) × the Region’s rate (1.25% in Wallonia and Brussels, 3.97% in Flanders), then multiplied by 1 + the municipal and provincial surcharges divided by 100.
Does a mortgage loan still give a tax benefit?
No, not for a new loan on your own home since 1 January 2025, in all three Regions. The tool therefore counts none.
What next?
- How much can I borrow?The affordable monthly repayment and the purchase price, costs included.
- Rent indexationRent indexed with the latest health index.
- What if I moved?What your municipality changes in your tax.
- Couple’s budgetSplit the rent or repayment in proportion to income.
Sources
Parameters in force on 1 October 2026. Each parameter links to its source, the official one where it exists; a secondary source is flagged as such.
- Réforme des droits d’enregistrement : FAQ (December 2024), Wallonia (SPW Fiscalité).
- Abattement sur les droits de vente, Bruxelles Fiscalité (be.brussels).
- Verlaagd tarief in het verkooprecht voor de aankoop van de enige eigen woning, Vlaamse Belastingdienst (vlaanderen.be).
- Tarif des honoraires des notaires (AR du 16 décembre 1950), unofficial consolidation after indexation on 1 January 2026 (version of 30 June 2026), Fédération du Notariat (notaire.be).
- Les frais liés au crédit hypothécaire, Fédération du Notariat (notaire.be).
- Berekening van de onroerende voorheffing, Vlaamse Belastingdienst (vlaanderen.be).
- Précompte immobilier, Bruxelles Fiscalité (be.brussels).
- Le précompte immobilier (fiche d’information), Wallonia (SPW Fiscalité).
- Règlement : centimes additionnels au précompte immobilier 2026-2031 (10 December 2025), Municipality of Bernissart.
- Bulletin provincial n° 16 du 16 décembre 2025, Province of Hainaut.
- Belgian housing market starts 2026 strong, but underlying dynamics soften, ING Think (secondary source).
- Conseils pour contracter un crédit hypothécaire (6 February 2026), Wikifin (FSMA).
- Bonus logement : quel est le régime applicable ? (updated on 23 January 2026), Wikifin (FSMA) (secondary source).
- Indice santé par année de base (be.STAT), Statbel.
- Prévisions d’inflation du 6 octobre 2026, Federal Planning Bureau, via L’Avenir (secondary source).