The 'rent is throwing money away' line oversimplifies the math. So does the 'renting is always cheaper' counter-argument.
What most calculators miss: the opportunity cost of your down payment, ongoing maintenance (1–2% of value/year), service-charge inflation in serviced estates, and the time horizon.
Run the numbers over 7–10 years, not 25. That's the median holding period for first homes — and the window over which transaction costs amortize meaningfully.