Rent vs buy a washer and dryer calculator: laundromat vs rental vs rent to own
Four ways to get your laundry done, priced per month and over the time you expect to stay. Local rental prices come from the 27 operators listed here. Every other number is an estimate you can change.
For 6 loads a week over 12 months, renting at the median listed price comes to about $770 against about $1,793 at the laundromat, a difference of about $1,023.
Buying a $1,400 set costs less than renting only if you stay longer than about 23 months.
Laundromat
$149 a month
About $1,793 over your stay
Loads x price x 4.33 weeks.
Local rental
- a month
About $770 over your stay
Monthly rent plus a one-time delivery fee. Repairs are usually included.
Rent to own example
- a month
About - over your stay
Example, check your agreement.
Buy new
- a month, spread over your stay
About - to buy
You own the set at the end. Repairs after the warranty are yours.
Washer and dryer rentals near you
Enter your ZIP above to see the operators who cover it, with their own prices and terms.
Every assumption, in the open
| Assumption | Default | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rental price | $60 a month, or your operator's price | Real data: the median set price published by the 27 operators listed here ($40 to $80). With a covered ZIP, that operator's own published set price. |
| Rental delivery | $50 once | Estimate. Operators commonly charge nothing to about $100. Each operator's page lists their own fee. |
| Laundromat | $5.75 a load | Estimate of a standard wash and dry. Prices vary by city and machine size. |
| Weeks per month | 4.33 | 52 weeks divided by 12. |
| Travel and time | Off | Optional. Trips assume up to three loads at once. |
| Rent to own | $30 a week, 78 weeks, $1100 cash price | Illustrative example, not any store's price. Payments stop once you own it. |
| Buy new | $1400 installed | Estimate within the typical $1,200 to $1,600 range for a new pair. |
| Financing | 0% (good), 25% (fair), none (poor or no credit) | Estimates. Promotional 0% offers need approval; store cards often carry rates in the 20s. |
| Not counted | Detergent, water and power at home, resale value of a set you buy, and repairs after the warranty. |
This is an estimate, not a quote. Your operator's agreement, your laundromat's prices and your own receipts beat any default here.
Rent, buy, rent to own or the laundromat
Is it better to rent or buy a washer and dryer?
It depends on how long you will stay and whether you can pay for a set up front. A new pair runs about $1,200 to $1,600 installed. Independent operators in this directory rent a set for $40 to $80 a month, median $60, usually with repairs included. At the median, buying a $1,400 set costs less than renting only after about 23 months. If you expect to move, rent a place without hookups next, or cannot cover the purchase, renting is usually the better fit. If you own your home and will stay for years, buying usually wins.
How much does it cost to rent a washer and dryer per month?
Across the 27 independent operators listed here, a washer and dryer set rents for $40 to $80 a month, with a median of $60. Many charge a one-time delivery and setup fee, commonly from nothing to about $100, and some ask for a minimum term. Each operator's own price and terms are on their page and on the prices page.
How much does the laundromat cost per month?
At about $5.75 to wash and dry one load, three loads a week comes to about $75 a month and six loads a week to about $149 a month (loads times price times 4.33 weeks). Prices vary by city and machine size, so put your own price into the calculator.
How much does rent to own cost, for example at Aaron's or Rent-A-Center?
Aaron's and Rent-A-Center are rent-to-own stores: the payments go toward owning the machines, and prices depend on the item and the store, so we do not quote theirs. What to compare is on the agreement: the cash price, the payment, the number of payments and the total of payments. In the illustrative example in this calculator, $30 a week for 78 weeks adds up to $2,340 on a set with a $1,100 cash price. Your agreement will have its own numbers. If you only need the machines for a while, check what you owe if you return them early.
Can I rent a washer and dryer with bad credit or no credit?
Often, yes. Whether a credit check is run is up to each operator. In their own published terms, Upstate Appliance Rentals and Your Appliance Rental state that they do not run one. Others do not say, so ask before delivery. The national rent-to-own chains advertise that no credit is needed; if you go that way, compare the total of payments with the cash price before you sign. Financing a new set from a store usually needs approval.
When does buying a washer and dryer beat renting?
Divide the purchase price, less any rental delivery fee you would avoid, by the monthly rent. With a $1,400 set and $60 a month rent, that is about 23 months. Stay longer than that and buying costs less, before repairs. Stay shorter and renting costs less. Owning also means repairs and moving the machines are yours.
More reading: the laundromat cost calculator, what a laundromat costs per load, appliance rental vs the laundromat, renting month to month vs rent to own and buying a used set.