Should you rent
or buy your next
home in SA?
Stop guessing. Ekaya runs the real numbers — bond costs, transfer duties, PAIA rates, and market appreciation — so you can make the most important financial decision of your life with confidence.
The real cost of buying
in South Africa.
Most calculators miss half the costs. Ekaya accounts for every rand that leaves your pocket — upfront and over time.
Transfer Duties
SA's tiered transfer duty is calculated automatically. From R0 on homes under R1.1M to 13% on the portion above R30M — no spreadsheet needed.
Bond Registration Costs
Attorney fees, bond registration, and deeds office costs are often forgotten. Ekaya includes standard estimates based on your property value.
Real-World Appreciation
Model your home's value growth over time. Ekaya uses realistic SA averages (5–7% pa) but you can set your own rate for any suburb or city.
Break-Even Timeline
See exactly when buying becomes cheaper than renting — accounting for opportunity cost on your deposit and cumulative rental increases.
Opportunity Cost
Your deposit tied up in property could be earning in the market. Ekaya models this — helping you compare true wealth outcomes, not just monthly costs.
5, 10, 20-Year View
Switch between time horizons to see how the decision changes. Short-term vs long-term often produces opposite answers — you need both perspectives.
Three inputs.
One clear answer.
Enter the property
Purchase price, deposit percentage, and the home loan interest rate from your bank's offer.
Enter your rent
Current monthly rent and your expected annual rental escalation — usually 8–10% in most SA cities.
Set your horizon
How long are you planning to stay? The break-even changes dramatically at 3, 7, and 15+ years.
Get your answer
A clear buy vs rent verdict, 20-year cost chart, and full breakdown of every rand involved.
in under 2 minutes.
Fully private — everything runs in your browser. No data is sent to any server.