> > don't count the principal payments. > I strongly disagree. You compare all costs. Both can work, but if you include the principal as a cost you need to ac

> > don't count the principal payments. > I strongly disagree. You compare all costs. Both can work, but if you include the principal as a cost you need to account for the asset value that is increasing your net worth. Of if you don't want to bother with that, counting just the interest as an expense is a resonable simplification. But if you count all rent and all mortgage as a pure expense, then it's not apples to apples.