It's not basic economics; it's vastly oversimplified economics.

Certainly all landlords WANT to make a profit every month that they own a property, but realistically they simply don't. Properties sit empty all the time, sometimes for months on end, for one reason or another.

My ex-wife has a rental property. My brother has several. I've heard the moaning. I know what I'm talking about.

Tenants break leases and move out. People typically move during the summer in order to avoid disrupting kids in school, so if a lease ends in March, it could be months before the place can be rented to someone who has good credit and won't trash it.

These shortfalls can't just arbitrarily be made up by jacking up the monthly rent on the next tenant. Most people aren't idiots; the market won't allow it. So landlords absorb losses all the time, which often translates into monthly rents below the landlord's costs.

It's a long game. Over time, successful landlords can pay off a rental property mortgage, and then it's mostly gravy ... which also enables them to rent below what it would cost to buy. But the difficult journey to that point often involves compromise, i.e. I'd like to charge this much, but I'll take 20% less rather than nothing.

It happens all the time.

In the end, all I need to do is to find one (1) single-family home for rent in America at a lower monthly rate than taking out a mortgage and buying it, and you lose this ridiculous disagreement.

Nothing is ALWAYS the case, no matter how "basic" it may seem to you.

Buying vs renting is a lifestyle choice, and the fact is that there is a premium on the choice to own, just like any other lifestyle choice.

Be happy with your choice. I'm happy with mine. But please stop with the easily disprovable absolutes.