Buy vs. rent: What you'll pay in the 10 biggest cities

% saved buying: 47%
Median home price : $170,000
Median rent: $1,700

The Windy City is undoubtedly a buyer's a market.

Home prices in Chicago went through a slump during the second half of 2013 that left median home prices at $170,000 in January, about $10,000 below the national median.

Meanwhile, rents are well above national levels, having climbed some 7% over the past 12 months.

For buyers, the savings is significant. According to Trulia, buyers who stay in their home for seven years, will save about 47% compared with the cost of renting a comparable property.

First published March 3, 2014: 12:09 PM ET

Source: Trulia
In order to get a more accurate comparison, Trulia estimated sale prices and rents for similar homes in similar neighborhoods, instead of using the average sale price or rental rate. It further calculated the initial total monthly costs of owning and renting, including maintenance, insurance and taxes, as well as future costs of owning and renting, such as price and rent appreciation and inflation. Trulia also included one-time transactional costs, including down payments, sales proceeds and security deposits. It assumes that buyers get a 30-year fixed mortgage with a 4.5% rate and put 20% down and that residents stay in their home for at least seven years.

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