[Finnucane]

If buying is expensive and rent is cheap, and you have no need for long-term settling down, you might as well keep renting.

You're young and able to save, which means you can afford to take a little risk with your long-term investments (and don't take goldbug paranoia too seriously--or for that matter, any investment advice from anonymous strangers on the internet. That does not count as "due diligence"!). Diversification is usually called for--keep enough liquid cash to live on for a while if you lose your job, some "safe" investments, and some higher-risk investments.