Opportunity Cost Calculator
Was buying better than investing? See what the cash and CPF you put into a home could have grown to in savings, SSB, T-bills or shares over the same years.
Assumed annual returns
Editable — adjust to current rates.
You'd invest $250,000 in total over 10 years.
| Option | Return | Future value | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savings account | 2% | $305,300 | +$55,300 |
| Singapore Savings Bonds | 2.8% | $330,675 | +$80,675 |
| T-bills | 3% | $337,338 | +$87,338 |
| Shares / ETFshighest | 7% | $502,415 | +$252,415 |
Illustrative only. The return rates are your own assumptions — check current SSB and T-bill rates on our investing pages, and remember shares can lose money (returns are not guaranteed). This compares investing the same money; it doesn't account for the home you get from buying, the rent you'd otherwise pay, or the leverage a mortgage gives you. Use it alongside the property sale proceeds tool to weigh the full picture.
The money in your home isn't working elsewhere
Every dollar of downpayment, stamp duty and CPF you commit to a property is a dollar that isn't earning a return somewhere else. That foregone growth is the opportunity cost of buying.
To compare properly: work out your property's real return with the property sale proceeds calculator (and the CPF accrued interest it must refund), then use this tool to see what the same money would have become in Singapore Savings Bonds, T-billsor a share portfolio. It won't make the decision for you — a home is more than an investment — but it shows the trade-off clearly.
Frequently asked questions
What is opportunity cost when buying a home?
It’s what your money could have earned elsewhere. The cash and CPF you put into a property — downpayment, stamp duties, costs — could instead have been invested in savings, Singapore Savings Bonds, T-bills or shares. The opportunity cost is the growth you gave up by buying.
How should I compare property against investing?
Work out your property’s true profit with the property sale proceeds calculator, then use this tool to see what the same money would have grown to at different return rates. If the property profit beats the investment, buying came out ahead — and vice versa.
Is this a fair comparison?
It’s a useful guide, not the whole story. Buying gives you a home (so you save on rent) and lets you borrow with leverage, while investing keeps your money liquid. Shares can also fall in value. Treat the numbers as one input into a bigger decision.
What return rates should I use?
Use current figures where you can: check our Singapore Savings Bonds and T-bill pages for today’s rates, a few percent for a high-yield savings account, and a long-run estimate (often quoted around 6%–8%) for a diversified share/ETF portfolio. All rates here are editable.