How much house can I afford in Alberta?
Alberta has no land transfer tax. Buyers pay Land Titles fees of $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value for the transfer, and the same on the mortgage amount: $1,180 on a $600,000 home with a $480,000 mortgage. There is no sales tax on the CMHC premium, so property tax is the local cost that moves your maximum most. Calgary's 2026 rate is 0.665%, Edmonton's 1.036%.
Worked examples use 4.12%, the Bank of Canada's average effective rate on new insured 5-year-plus fixed mortgages (2026-08), and are recalculated whenever our rules or rates are updated.
What's different about buying in Alberta
Alberta has no land transfer tax. When you buy, you pay Land Titles registration fees instead: one for transferring the title to you and one for registering your mortgage. They are small next to the transfer taxes in most other provinces, which means more of your savings can go into the down payment.
Alberta also doesn't charge provincial sales tax on the CMHC premium. The national rules still decide how much you can borrow: GDS up to 39%, TDS up to 44%, both at the stress-test rate. So in Alberta, property tax is the local number that moves your budget most.
Alberta Land Titles fees
The Government of Alberta's fee schedule, updated October 1, 2026, sets both fees with the same formula:
- Transfer of land: $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 of the value of the land, or part of $5,000.
- Mortgage: $50 plus $5 for every $5,000 of the principal amount, or part of $5,000.
The formula did not change in the October 2026 update; the $5 rate has applied since October 20, 2024. Here are both fees at a few example prices, assuming the minimum down payment and an insured mortgage with the premium added:
| Example price | Mortgage (with premium) | Transfer fee | Mortgage fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $400,000 | $395,200 | $450 | $450 | $900 |
| $550,000 | $540,800 | $600 | $595 | $1,195 |
| $750,000 | $728,000 | $800 | $780 | $1,580 |
| $1,000,000 | $962,000 | $1,050 | $1,015 | $2,065 |
On a $600,000 purchase with a $480,000 mortgage, the two fees come to $1,180. There is no first-time buyer exemption from these fees. Our planning estimate for legal fees alone ($1,800) is more than both registrations combined at every example price in the table below $1,000,000.
Property tax: Calgary and Edmonton compared
Because the transfer costs are so low, the monthly property tax bill is the biggest local difference in an Alberta budget. It counts in GDS, so a higher rate leaves less room for the mortgage payment. The two largest cities publish 2026 residential rates:
- Calgary: 0.665% of assessed value (municipal plus provincial).
- Edmonton: 1.036% of assessed value (municipal plus education).
On a $500,000 home that is about $3,325 a year in Calgary and $5,180 in Edmonton. Assessed value and price are not always the same, so treat these as estimates.
An Alberta affordability example
A first-time buyer household earning $120,000, with a $60,000 down payment (closing costs come on top) and $500 a month of other debts, at an example rate of 4.12% over 25 years, with $100 a month for heat. With an example 0.75% property tax the lender maximum is about $575,700 (GDS). Using each city's own 2026 rate instead:
- Calgary: about $581,400, with $1,225 of Land Titles fees.
- Edmonton: about $557,500, with $1,175 of Land Titles fees.
The same household, three different ceilings, and the only input that changed is property tax. Across incomes:
| Household income | Down payment | Example 0.75% tax | Calgary rate | Edmonton rate | Cash to close (Calgary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $85,000 | $40,000 | $381,500 | $385,200 | $369,400 | $43,550 |
| $120,000 | $60,000 | $575,700 | $581,400 | $557,500 | $63,925 |
| $160,000 | $100,000 | $790,500 | $798,200 | $765,500 | $104,320 |
Cash to close is the down payment plus Land Titles fees and our estimates of $1,800 for legal fees, $350 for title insurance and $550 for an inspection. For comparison, at the $575,700 example price a repeat buyer would pay $7,989 of land transfer tax in Ontario and $9,164 in Manitoba.
What moves an Alberta budget
With transfer costs this low, the levers that matter are the ones every lender tests. Using the Calgary version of the example ($581,400):
- Other debts. Here GDS, not TDS, is the limit, so paying off the $500 a month of other debts leaves the maximum at $581,400, though it makes the payments easier to carry. When TDS is the limit, a car payment costs you borrowing power just as housing costs do.
- Amortization. A first-time buyer with an insured mortgage can choose 30 years, which lifts the maximum to $611,400. The premium rises by 0.20 points and you pay more interest over time.
- Interest rate. If the rate were one point higher (5.12%), the maximum would fall to $539,700, because the stress test moves up with it.
- Down payment. Above 20% down there is no CMHC premium at all. Because Alberta adds no tax on that premium, the saving is the premium alone.
In a province where transfer tax takes several thousand dollars on closing day, those dollars come out of the down payment. In Alberta they mostly stay in it, which is one reason buyers here can often put more down on the same savings.
Next steps
- Run your numbers in the affordability calculator and pick Calgary, Edmonton or "Alberta (other)" with your town's tax rate.
- See all your closing costs in the closing costs calculator.
- Work backwards from a specific home with the income needed calculator.
Run the numbers for Alberta (other)
This calculator starts with Alberta (other)'s transfer tax and first-time relief. Open your full affordability plan set to Alberta (other).
Closing costs and land transfer tax calculator
Cash you need on closing day on top of your down payment.
| Alberta land titles fee: transfer ($50 + $5 per $5,000) | $700 |
|---|---|
| Alberta land titles fee: mortgage ($50 + $5 per $5,000) | $655 |
| Legal / notary | $1,800 |
| Title insurance | $350 |
| Inspection / appraisal | $550 |
| Total | $4,055 |
Estimate, not advice. Your lawyer or notary prepares the final statement of adjustments, including property-tax and utility adjustments not shown here.
Closing costs $4,055, of which land transfer tax or fees $1,355.
Assumptions & sources
Assumptions
- Transfer tax is calculated on the purchase price (NB, PE and NS use the greater of price or assessed value).
- First-time buyer rebates assume you meet every condition (residency, occupancy, never owned).
- Legal, title insurance and inspection figures are our planning estimates; get quotes.
Sources
- Government of Alberta — Land Titles and Surveys common documents fee schedule (effective October 1, 2026). Checked .
Frequently asked questions
Is there a land transfer tax in Alberta?
No. Alberta charges Land Titles registration fees instead: $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of the property's value for the transfer, and $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of the mortgage amount.
How much are land title fees on a $600,000 home in Alberta?
$650 for the transfer and $530 for a $480,000 mortgage, $1,180 in total.
Do first-time buyers get a break on closing costs in Alberta?
There is no provincial first-time exemption, because there is no transfer tax to exempt. Federal programs such as the FHSA, the Home Buyers' Plan and the new-home GST rebate still apply.
How much house can I afford in Calgary vs Edmonton?
With $120,000 of income, $60,000 down and $500 a month of debts at an example 4.12%, about $581,400 in Calgary and $557,500 in Edmonton, because Edmonton's property tax rate is higher.
Primary sources
- Government of Alberta — Land Titles and Surveys common documents fee schedule (effective October 1, 2026). Checked .
- City of Calgary — How your property tax bill is calculated (2026). Checked .
- City of Edmonton — Property taxes (2026 rates). Checked .
- CMHC — Calculating GDS / TDS. Checked .
- OSFI — Minimum qualifying rate for uninsured mortgages (Guideline B-20). Checked .
- CMHC — Homeowner mortgage loan insurance: Purchase (eligibility). Checked .