You're simplifying it, though. - It's generally nowhere near 50% (of the cost of owning) going to principal - Buying ties you into the house, or at least ties

You're simplifying it, though. - It's generally nowhere near 50% (of the cost of owning) going to principal - Buying ties you into the house, or at least ties other costs to moving. If you're likely to need to move again in under 5 years, that cost is high. - Related to the cost of moving, but... if you're moving to a new area and want to take some time to pick out where you're going to live for 20 years, then renting for a few makes sense. Honestly, there's just a lot of reasons that can make it financially reasonable to rent instead of own.