IT leasing vs. equipment purchase: cost analysis for medium-sized enterprises in Mexico
Is it better to buy or lease your company's technological equipment? We analyze the real cost of each model —including what no one tells you at the time of purchase— so you can make the right decision.
When a company needs to renew or expand its technology fleet, the discussion always reaches the same point: do we buy it or lease it?
Most general managers in Mexico have the instinct to buy. You pay once, the equipment is yours, matter resolved. But that logic has a problem: it ignores everything that happens after the moment of purchase.
The real cost of buying equipment
When your company buys technological equipment—laptops, servers, switches, printers—the list price is only the beginning of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The actual elements include:
Acquisition price
The initial cost, which in many cases implies a significant capital investment and affects the cash flow of the period.
Maintenance and repairs
Equipment breaks down. Out of warranty, a corporate laptop repair in Mexico can cost between 3,000 and 8,000 pesos. Multiplied by a fleet of 50 computers over four years, the number becomes significant.
Technological obsolescence
Technology advances fast. Equipment purchased today has a competitive useful life cycle of three to four years. After that, it is slower, less secure, and less compatible with modern software. However, the company continues to use it because "it's already paid for."
Risk of theft or loss
In Mexico, more than 100,000 thefts of corporate laptops are reported annually. When the equipment is owned by the company, the financial blow is total, unless separate insurance has been contracted.
End-of-life disposal
Properly decommissioning technological equipment—secure data erasure and responsible disposal of electronic waste—comes with an additional cost that few companies plan for.
If all these elements are added together, the TCO of a purchased computer is between 40% and 70% higher than the initial purchase price during its useful life.
What technological renting is and how it works
Technological renting is an operating lease model in which the company pays a fixed monthly fee for the use of equipment over a set period (usually 24, 36, or 48 months), without acquiring ownership.
A well-structured renting contract includes:
Latest generation equipment, configured according to the company's needs
Maintenance and technical support throughout the duration of the contract
Insurance against theft, loss, or accidental damage
Replacement of equipment in case of failure or loss
Lifecycle management: upgrade at the end of the period
In Mexico, technology renting fees are tax-deductible as an operating expense, which represents an additional tax advantage compared to purchasing assets (which depreciate on a deferred basis).
Financial comparison: buying vs. renting
Example with 30 mid-to-high-end corporate laptops (approximate unit value: 22,000 MXN):
Concept | Buying model | Renting model |
|---|---|---|
Initial investment | 660,000 MXN (affects cash flow) | 0 MXN |
Monthly fee | — | ~17,400 MXN (580/device) |
Total cost in 3 years | ~825,000 MXN | ~626,400 MXN |
Maintenance and insurance | ~135,000 MXN additional | Included |
Tax impact | Deferred depreciation 25%/year | 100% deductible in the year |
Equipment status at year 3 | 3 years of use, at the limit | Automatic renewal available |
Beyond the equipment: renting for complete projects
One of the advantages of renting that medium-sized companies in Mexico are least aware of is that this model does not apply only to laptops. DITESA offers renting and technological financing schemes for any type of project:
Server and storage infrastructure
Network equipment (switches, routers, access points, firewalls)
Printers and multifunctional equipment
Videoconferencing and communications systems
Data center or technical room projects
Cloud implementations or software solutions
This means that a company can modernize its entire technological infrastructure without high capital outlays, paying predictable monthly fees integrated into operating expenses.
When does each model make the most sense?
Renting makes more sense when:
The company needs regularly updated equipment
Cash flow is a major factor in decision-making
The goal is to eliminate internal management of the technological life cycle
You want to convert capital expenditure into operating expenditure to optimize the tax burden
Direct purchase may make more sense when:
The equipment has a very long useful life and does not require frequent upgrades
The company has access to long-term financing at very low rates
The goal is to accumulate assets as part of the financial strategy
Do you want to know how much each model would cost you in your specific case?
At DITESA we can perform a TCO analysis for your specific company: how much equipment you have, how long they have been in use, how much you are actually spending on maintenance, and how much a renting scheme with full service included would cost.
Learn about the available models at:
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