Compare the True Cost of Renting Versus Buying a Home

The rent-versus-buy debate is usually conducted with half the costs on each side. People buying ignore maintenance, transaction costs, and opportunity cost. People renting ignore what they would build over time. This compares both honestly for a specific situation rather than using the version that happens to support the answer you already want.

I want to compare renting and buying honestly, including the costs that are usually left out of the comparison.

My situation: {HOUSING_SITUATION}

Compare renting and buying for someone in my situation on: total monthly outgoing for each option including the hidden costs (for renting: flexibility, no maintenance costs, no equity; for buying: maintenance and repairs, transaction costs, insurance, opportunity cost of deposit), whether the equity argument holds for my likely tenure, what happens to each option if my circumstances change, and which makes more financial sense for someone with my situation and timeline. Note: this is for educational purposes, not regulated financial advice.