How to Calculate Down Payment and Monthly Payment: An Essential Guide to Buying a Home
In the current real estate market, buying a home is an important decision for many families. Whether you're buying your first home or improving your home, it's crucial to know how to calculate your down payment and monthly payments. This article will introduce you to the calculation method of down payment and monthly payment in detail, and provide structured data to help you better plan your home purchase budget.
1. Calculation method of down payment

The down payment is the first payment required when buying a home, usually calculated as a percentage of the house price. Different regions and loan policies may have different down payment ratio requirements. The following are common down payment ratios:
| House purchase type | down payment ratio |
|---|---|
| first suite | 20%-30% |
| Second suite | 40%-50% |
| commercial space | 50% and above |
For example, if you buy a house with a total price of 2 million yuan, if it is your first home and the down payment ratio is 30%, the down payment amount will be: 2 million × 30% = 600,000 yuan.
2. Calculation method of monthly payment
The monthly payment is the loan amount that a home buyer needs to repay each month, usually including principal and interest. The calculation of the monthly payment involves the loan amount, loan term and interest rate. Here are common loan terms and interest rates:
| loan term | Common interest rates (annualized) |
|---|---|
| 5 years | 4.75% |
| 10 years | 4.90% |
| 20 years | 5.25% |
| 30 years | 5.40% |
The monthly payment calculation formula is:
Monthly payment = [Loan amount × monthly interest rate × (1 + monthly interest rate)^number of repayment months] / [(1 + monthly interest rate)^number of repayment months - 1]
Among them, monthly interest rate = annual interest rate / 12, and number of repayment months = loan term × 12.
For example, if the loan amount is 1.4 million yuan (2 million - 600,000 down payment), the loan term is 20 years, and the annual interest rate is 5.25%, then:
Monthly interest rate = 5.25% / 12 = 0.4375%
Number of repayment months = 20 × 12 = 240 months
Monthly payment = [1.4 million × 0.4375% × (1 + 0.4375%)^240] / [(1 + 0.4375%)^240 - 1] ≈ 9,487 yuan
3. Factors affecting monthly payment
The amount of monthly payment is affected by many factors. The following are the main factors and their impact:
| factors | influence |
|---|---|
| loan amount | The higher the loan amount, the higher the monthly payment |
| loan term | The longer the term, the lower the monthly payment, but the total interest is higher |
| interest rate | The higher the interest rate, the higher the monthly payment |
| Repayment method | Different methods of equal principal and interest and equal principal |
4. Equal principal and interest vs equal principal
There are two common repayment methods: equal principal and interest and equal principal. Here's a comparison of the two:
| Repayment method | Features | Suitable for the crowd |
|---|---|---|
| Equal principal and interest | The monthly repayment amount is fixed, and the interest proportion gradually decreases | Homebuyers with stable income |
| Equal amount of principal | The monthly principal repayment is fixed, the interest gradually decreases, and the monthly payment decreases | Homebuyers with higher incomes who want to reduce their total interest payments |
5. House purchase budget planning suggestions
1.Assess your own financial situation: Make sure the down payment and monthly payment are within an affordable range to avoid excessive debt.
2.Set aside emergency funds: After purchasing a house, there may be additional expenses such as decoration and taxes. It is recommended to set aside 3-6 months of living expenses as emergency funds.
3.Pay attention to interest rate changes: Interest rate fluctuations will affect the monthly payment amount. You can consult your bank to learn about the latest interest rate policy before buying a house.
4.Choose the right loan term: Choose a loan term based on your own income to balance monthly payment pressure and total interest expenses.
Through the above analysis, I believe you have a clearer understanding of how to calculate down payment and monthly payment. Buying a home is a long-term investment, and planning your down payment and monthly payments properly will help you better realize your housing dream.
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