Calculator
What your move to Alberta would buy
See what your current home leaves you after selling costs, what that buys in Edmonton, and what the payment would be. We also cover what changes in your mortgage file when you move provinces.
Your numbers
Where you live now
Sets the property tax comparison and, if you rent, the price of a comparable home there.
Your current home
Where you're going
Edmonton's board publishes each segment separately, and they've moved in different directions.
On top of any equity from the sale.
Income, rate and amortization(6)
Sets the maximum price each city's costs allow, using the same engine as the affordability calculator.
Leave it at $0 and we'll estimate it from your balance at the same rate.
Our published 5-year fixed.
Commission and legal fees when you sell. 5% is the usual planning figure, and your own agent's will differ.
Rate taken from the RateLens published table, current as of September 21, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. MT. Rules, premium tiers and fee schedules current as of September 16, 2026.
Cash you'd arrive with
$527,500
That’s more than the $469,602 Edmonton price you selected. You could buy outright and decide what to do with the surplus.
- Edmonton payment
- $0No mortgage needed
- What you pay now
- $2,760.74Estimated from your balance at the same rate
- Lower every month
- $2,760.74$33,129 a year
- Cash saved at the closing table
- $34,430Alberta charges no land transfer tax
Alberta property only
- Selling costs
- 5.0%
- Edmonton price
- $469,602
- Rate
- 4.09%
- Amortization
- 25 years
- Prices as of
- September 1, 2026
- Rules as of
- September 16, 2026
How we calculate your qualifying rate. Under OSFI Guideline B-20, lenders qualify you at the higher of your contract rate plus 2 percentage points, or 5.25% (the minimum qualifying rate). Since November 21, 2024, OSFI no longer prescribes this test for eligible uninsured straight switches at renewal between federally regulated lenders, with no increase in the loan amount or remaining amortization. Lenders still assess creditworthiness. New purchases and refinances generally require qualification. Provincially regulated credit unions (including Alberta credit unions) aren’t bound by Guideline B-20 and set their own qualifying policies, which is one reason a broker can sometimes place a file a bank cannot. Rules current as of September 16, 2026. Source: OSFI Guideline B-20.
Your monthly payment in each city
Check the current figure against your own mortgage statement.
| Measure | Toronto | Edmonton |
|---|---|---|
| Home value | $1,050,000 | $469,602 |
| Down payment100.0% down in Edmonton | $527,500 | $469,602 |
| Monthly paymentYour cash covers the whole price, so there's no mortgage to pay | $2,760.74 | $0 |
| Annual property tax0.72% against 1.00% of value | $7,560 | $4,696 |
Cash at the closing table
This is where the 2 provinces differ most. Legal, title and inspection costs are broadly similar in both places, so we leave them out and show only what changes.
| Line | Toronto | Edmonton |
|---|---|---|
| Provincial land transfer tax | $17,475 | $0 |
| Municipal land transfer tax | $17,475 | $0 |
| Land Titles registration fees | — | $520 |
| PST on the default insurance premiumPayable in cash. It can't be added to the mortgage. | $0 | $0 |
| Cash difference at the closing table | $34,950 | $520 |
Alberta charges no land transfer tax and no municipal land transfer tax, including in Edmonton. Alberta buyers pay a Land Titles registration fee of $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value instead. It’s charged on the property transfer and again on the mortgage registration. A fee and a tax are different things, and we never add them together here.
The same purchase and the same buyer in 2 provinces.
- Toronto$34,950
- Edmonton$520$34,430 less
| Jurisdiction | Cash at closing |
|---|---|
| Toronto | $34,950 |
| Edmonton | $520 |
What your income supports in each city
Both figures use the same affordability engine with each city's property tax rate, so you can compare them directly.
- Toronto$1,111,311
- Edmonton$1,075,716
| Jurisdiction | Maximum price |
|---|---|
| Toronto | $1,111,311 |
| Edmonton | $1,075,716 |
On the same income, you’d qualify for slightly more in Toronto. Its property tax rate is lower than Edmonton’s, and the qualifying calculation counts that tax every month. The bigger difference between the cities is the price of the home.
Both figures use the same income, the same debts, the same cash and the same qualifying rate. The only differences are the property tax rate and the default insurance position each price implies.
What changes in your mortgage file when you move provinces
Moving provinces adds a few underwriting steps. Each one is manageable if you plan for it.
Your credit file moves with you
Equifax and TransUnion are national, so nothing resets when you move to Alberta. A lender will ask about your employment: your start date, any probation clause, whether the offer is permanent, and whether the income is base or variable.
You can be pre-approved before you have an Alberta address
You need verifiable income, a down payment with a 90-day paper trail and a credit file. You don't need an Alberta address, an Alberta licence or Alberta credit history, and you don't need to have moved yet.
Lining up 2 closings
Selling there and buying here rarely lines up to the day. Bridge financing covers the gap, and it needs a firm sale on the home you're leaving. It takes time to arrange, so start early.
Mention probation on the first call
Some lenders won't fund inside a probationary period and some will. Knowing which is which up front can save 2 weeks, and it's a two-minute question on the first call.
Notes on this comparison
Price substitutions, estimates and anything we route elsewhere.
- • The cash available covers the full purchase price — no mortgage is needed, and the conversation becomes what to do with the surplus.
- • The current payment was estimated from the outstanding balance at the same rate and amortization, because no actual payment was supplied.
- • Moving provinces changes which lenders will look at your file: an Alberta job start date, selling in one province while buying in another, and arriving without Alberta credit history are all solvable, but they need a plan.
Ask Daniel for your Alberta rate
Daniel De Sousa takes these calls himself. We’re on Mountain time, 2 hours behind Toronto and 1 hour ahead of Vancouver. The office is open Mon–Fri 9–5 MT.
This comparison uses published average and benchmark prices for each city, not an appraisal or a market valuation of your specific home. Your own home’s value and what you’ll find in Edmonton both depend on the property. Home prices are as at September 1, 2026 and are sourced from the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton and the relevant local real estate board. They move every month. Selling costs are estimated at 5.0% of your current home’s value. Your own agent’s commission and legal costs will differ.
Cash you'd arrive with
$527,500
How this is calculated
Every figure on this page comes from one tested calculation engine. Here’s what it does.
How this calculator works
Every figure comes from the same calculation engine our other calculators use, run twice, once per city. It works out the equity on your current home, the payment on the Edmonton purchase, the closing costs in each province, and the maximum price your income supports in each. Using one engine for both columns keeps them directly comparable.
Your equity
Net proceeds are your home’s value, less selling costs at the rate you set (5% is the usual planning figure for commission and legal), less the mortgage still owing. Add your savings and that’s the cash you arrive with. If the sale doesn’t clear the mortgage, the calculator shows the shortfall and stops there. It won’t show a negative purchasing power.
Closing costs in each province
Alberta charges no land transfer tax, and no Alberta municipality charges one either. That includes Edmonton, unlike Toronto. Alberta buyers pay a Land Titles registration fee of $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value instead. It’s charged on the property transfer and again on the mortgage registration, effective 20 October 2024. A fee and a tax are different things, and this page never adds them together.
The second difference catches people out. Alberta charges no provincial sales tax on the default insurance premium. In Ontario that tax is payable in cash on closing day and can’t be added to the mortgage. On a purchase with less than 20% down, that’s extra cash you need on closing day.
Prices
Edmonton’s figures (average, MLS® HPI benchmark, detached, townhouse and apartment) come from the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton and are stored in the engine’s dated rules table. Every other city’s price comes from a published board figure, and we name the substitution on the page. None of them is an appraisal, and they all move every month.
What changes in your mortgage file
Below the numbers, we cover the mortgage side of the move. That includes what an out-of-province file needs and what it doesn’t (an Alberta address, an Alberta licence, Alberta credit history). It also covers the 2 things that complicate it: probationary employment and 2 closings that don’t line up. Both can be solved if you plan ahead. Read the full relocation guide.
Where we can help
Indi The Independent Mortgage Company Ltd. o/a Indi Mortgage arranges mortgages on property located in Alberta. We can help with your Alberta purchase. We can’t arrange financing on your current home outside Alberta, but we can refer you to a licensed professional there.
Common questions
Can I get a mortgage in Alberta if I still live in Ontario or BC?
Yes, as long as the property you’re buying is in Alberta. Daniel De Sousa is licensed by RECA and arranges mortgages on Alberta property through Indi Mortgage, a licensed brokerage. Where you live now doesn’t change that.
If you also need financing on a property back home (say, an investment property you’re keeping), you’ll need a licensee in that province. We’ll tell you when that’s the case.
Do I need an Alberta job before I can get approved?
You need verifiable income, which usually means a signed employment letter and a start date. Many relocation clients are approved on an offer letter for a job they haven’t started yet.
Raise any probationary period on the first call. Lender policy varies: some will fund inside probation and some won’t. A two-minute question can save you 2 weeks.
Is there no land transfer tax in Alberta?
That’s right. No Alberta municipality charges one either, unlike Toronto.
You pay Land Titles registration fees instead: $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value on the transfer, and the same formula again on the mortgage. That’s about $1,000 on a $500,000 purchase with a $400,000 mortgage. On a typical Toronto-to-Edmonton move, that’s a five-figure difference on closing day.
What happens to the mortgage on the house I'm selling?
You have 3 options, and your penalty usually decides which one makes sense.
Port it to the new property, if your lender allows porting across provinces (not all do). Break it and pay the penalty: 3 months’ interest on a variable, or the greater of that and an interest rate differential on a fixed. Or let it run to maturity and bridge the gap. We price all 3 before you commit. Estimate your penalty.
Can we buy if I start work in March and my family moves in July?
Yes. That’s common, and it can work.
The questions become whose income the approval is built on, whether the home you’re leaving is sold or rented in the meantime, and whether you need a rate hold that covers the gap. Holds run up to 120 days, which is usually enough. The timing decides it, so bring us your dates before you sign anything.
Is Alberta's housing market weaker right now?
It’s softer right now. Inventory is up year over year and sales are down. Detached prices are roughly flat, while townhouses and apartments have slipped on heavy new supply.
If you’re arriving with equity from a more expensive province, that works in your favour. You get more choice, more time, room to negotiate, and no tax to pay on closing day. It isn’t a reason to rush, and be wary of anyone who says it is.
What to work out next
- AffordabilityCheck what you can afford without the move in the picture.
- Mortgage paymentSee the Edmonton payment on its own, at every frequency.
- Mortgage penalty (IRD)Estimate what it costs to break the mortgage on the home you're selling.
- Closing costsSee the full list of Alberta closing costs, itemized.
- Rent vs buyIf you rent today, compare renting and owning on their own.
- Land transfer taxAlberta doesn't charge it. See what it costs in the province you're leaving.
This calculator provides estimates only. Results are based on the information you enter and on assumptions that may not reflect your actual qualification, rate or costs. These include semi-annual, not-in-advance compounding for fixed rates, as required under section 6 of the federal Interest Act, and the mortgage default insurance premium tiers published by CMHC, Sagen and Canada Guaranty. It is not mortgage advice, a quote, a rate hold, a pre-approval or an offer of credit, and RateLens does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Your actual rate, payment, default insurance premium and closing costs will depend on your credit profile, income, the property, the lender’s current rates and policies, and other factors confirmed during a full application.
Alberta charges no land transfer tax. Alberta purchasers pay Land Titles Office registration fees instead: $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value (or part thereof), charged separately on the property transfer and on the mortgage registration, effective 20 October 2024. Elsewhere, land transfer tax varies by province and, in some municipalities, by city: Ontario charges provincial land transfer tax and the City of Toronto charges an additional municipal land transfer tax; British Columbia charges Property Transfer Tax. First-time buyer rebates and exemptions differ by jurisdiction and are subject to eligibility conditions. Alberta has none, because it levies no land transfer tax to rebate. Confirm current rates, fees and rebate ceilings with the relevant provincial, territorial or municipal authority.
Premiums shown approximate the published premium schedules of CMHC, Sagen and Canada Guaranty and are subject to each insurer’s current rate sheet. They are not guaranteed by RateLens. No provincial sales tax applies to the premium in Alberta. In Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, PST on the premium is payable in cash at closing and cannot be added to the mortgage. Default insurance is not available on properties priced at or above $1,500,000.
Qualifying rate methodology: you are qualified at the higher of your contract rate plus 2 percentage points or the 5.25% minimum qualifying rate, in accordance with OSFI Guideline B-20. The stress test does not apply to a straight renewal with your existing lender, and since November 2024 does not apply to an uninsured straight switch. Lender debt-service ceilings shown (GDS 39% / TDS 44%) are insurer guidelines; individual lenders may apply higher or lower limits at their discretion.
Rules snapshot: September 16, 2026. Rates shown are calculation assumptions, not confirmed offers. Speak with Daniel De Sousa, Mortgage Associate, for a personalized quote. Indi The Independent Mortgage Company Ltd. o/a Indi Mortgage, a licensed mortgage brokerage licensed by RECA.
Daniel De Sousa, Mortgage Associate, is licensed by the Real Estate Council of Alberta and registered with Indi The Independent Mortgage Company Ltd. o/a Indi Mortgage.
Indi The Independent Mortgage Company Ltd. o/a Indi Mortgage is a mortgage brokerage licensed by the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA). Verify our licence on RECA ProCheck(opens in a new tab)
RateLens is a trade name used by Daniel De Sousa, Mortgage Associate, licensed in Alberta by the Real Estate Council of Alberta and registered with Indi The Independent Mortgage Company Ltd. o/a Indi Mortgage.
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