Rental vs S&P 500

If you have to put up the same money and bleed the same cash every month — which wins, real estate or an index fund?

Assuming the same down payment and the same monthly out-of-pocket contributions on both sides, this compares the rental business's asset value (equity + invested surplus cash flow) against an S&P 500 index investment after N years.

Purchase & Loan

$
%
%
%
yrs

Monthly Operations

$
%
%
$
%
%

Growth Assumptions

%
%
%
yrs
Initial capital
$50,600
Year 1 monthly cash flow
$-343
Difference after 30 yrs
$-187,769
Rental business assetsS&P 500 assets

Final comparison after 30 years

Initial capital (down payment + closing costs)$50,600
Additional cash contributed (cumulative negative cash flow)$18,128
Total capital invested (same on both sides)$68,728
Rental business final assets$941,794
S&P 500 final assets$1,129,563
S&P 500 ahead by$187,769