"Always better"? I'd say buying vs. renting is a personal choice.
Not to mention, most of the time I was renting, I was low-income. I doubt my subsidized rent payments would have made the payments on a residence bigger than a dog house.
Renting isn't all negatives. My wife and I have been fortunate enough, either before we met, or after, to have responsible landlords. If something broke, they fixed it. They were responsible for general maintenance, groundskeeping, snow shoveling, etc. In return, we gave them rent payments and they kept the property when we moved.
Short of having the cash on hand, buying a home means a decades-long financial commitment. Renting is generally year-to-year. In the case of our move to Englewood, we gave proper notice to our previous landlord, signed a new contract with our new landlord, arranged for movers, and we moved. No attorneys, no real estate brokers, no refinancing, etc.
So, like I said. Personal preference.