Home prices may be rising at a rapid rate, but they’ve done little to minimize the financial appeal of homeownership, according to a new study from Trulia.

Trulia released its Winter 2013 Rents vs. Buy Report earlier today, and its findings were a pleasant surprise: though asking prices have risen at a faster rate rate than asking rents in the last year – 7 percent for prices in February compared to 3.2 percent for rents, according to Trulia’s own Price Monitor – homeownership nonetheless remains a more affordable option in every one of the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan markets, what with interest rates at historic lows.

Here in the Miami area, Christopher Zoller, an agent with EWM Realty in Coral Gables, said the purchasing of luxury properties is definitely more cost-effective than renting.

“I’d say that’s very true here, Zoller said, who is also an MBF member.

“Financing a million dollars versus renting a million dollar house, it’s far cheaper,” he said, adding that at 3.6 percent, a mortgage for such a property would be around $3,600 a month, compared to an $8,000 rental cost.

How does Miami’s housing affordability, though, compare with the rest of the nation? See our infographic below to find out: