The payment side of an Alberta mortgage follows national rules, so the calculator above uses the same engine as the Canada-wide mortgage calculator. What changes in Alberta is everything paid in cash around the loan. There is no land transfer tax, no provincial tax on the CMHC premium and no provincial sales tax, so an Alberta buyer’s closing bill is mostly the down payment, two small land titles fees and the lawyer. This page is set up for Alberta: the province is already selected and the tables below add the land titles fees the payment result leaves out.
How is this Alberta mortgage calculator set up?
The calculator opens with Alberta preselected under “Mortgage insurance”, which matters in one place only: the premium is never taxed, so nothing extra is added to the cash needed at closing. Everything else behaves the same as the national version.
- Enter the purchase price and the down payment. Under 20% down, the calculator checks the federal minimum and adds the CMHC premium for that loan-to-value band to the mortgage.
- Enter the rate from a lender’s quote and the amortization. Fixed rates are converted with semi-annual compounding, the Canadian convention.
- Choose the buyer situation. First-time buyers and buyers of a newly built home can pick 30 years on an insured mortgage; other insured buyers are capped at 25.
- Read the result, then the Decision Brief. It explains the payment from its parts, shows the balance owing at renewal and flags the stress-test payment the lender will check.
- Add the land titles fees from the tables below to the down payment to see the cash needed on possession day, before legal costs.
Nothing entered in the calculator leaves the browser or appears in the page address.
What does a mortgage cost at three Alberta price points?
The table runs the calculator’s engine at three example prices, a condo or townhouse at $385,000, a starter single-family home at $525,000 and a larger family home at $690,000, each at the minimum down payment, 10% and 20%. All rows use a hypothetical 4.39% five-year fixed rate, a 25-year amortization and monthly payments. They are illustrations, not quotes or local averages.
| Price | Down payment | CMHC premium | Mortgage | Monthly payment | Land titles transfer fee | Mortgage registration fee | Cash at closing before legal costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $385,000 | $19,250 (5%, the minimum) | $14,630 | $380,380 | $2,082.10 | $435 | $435 | $20,120 |
| $385,000 | $38,500 (10%) | $10,741.50 | $357,241.50 | $1,955.45 | $435 | $410 | $39,345 |
| $385,000 | $77,000 (20%) | None | $308,000 | $1,685.91 | $435 | $360 | $77,795 |
| $525,000 | $27,500 (5.24%, the minimum) | $19,900 | $517,400 | $2,832.11 | $575 | $570 | $28,645 |
| $525,000 | $52,500 (10%) | $14,647.50 | $487,147.50 | $2,666.52 | $575 | $540 | $53,615 |
| $525,000 | $105,000 (20%) | None | $420,000 | $2,298.97 | $575 | $470 | $106,045 |
| $690,000 | $44,000 (6.38%, the minimum) | $25,840 | $671,840 | $3,677.48 | $740 | $725 | $45,465 |
| $690,000 | $69,000 (10%) | $19,251 | $640,251 | $3,504.57 | $740 | $695 | $70,435 |
| $690,000 | $138,000 (20%) | None | $552,000 | $3,021.51 | $740 | $605 | $139,345 |
How to read this table: the last column is what has to be in the bank before possession, leaving out the lawyer, title insurance and adjustments. Across all nine rows the two land titles fees together never pass $1,465, so in Alberta the down payment is almost the whole closing bill. The minimum down payment on the $525,000 and $690,000 homes is above 5% because the part of the price over $500,000 needs 10% down.
The starter-home example in detail
Taking the middle row, a $525,000 home with $52,500 down:
- Loan before insurance: $472,500, a 90% loan-to-value ratio, which falls in CMHC’s 3.1% band.
- Premium: $14,647.50, added to the loan for a mortgage of $487,147.50. No Alberta tax is charged on it, so there is nothing extra to pay in cash.
- Rate per payment: 4.39% compounded twice a year is 0.3625% per monthly payment.
- Payment: $2,666.52 a month. In the first year about $20,975 goes to interest and $11,024 to principal.
- Registration: the transfer fee is $575. The mortgage fee is $540; without the premium in the loan it would have been $525.
- After five years: about $426,915 would still be owing at renewal.
How are Alberta land titles fees calculated?
Alberta’s Land Titles Act sets two levies, one when ownership is registered in the buyer’s name and one when the lender registers the mortgage against the title. Both use the same sliding scale, and both are rounded against the buyer: any part of a $5,000 step counts as a full step.
| Registration | Base fee | Per step | Step size | Measured on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer of land | $50 | $5 | $5,000 | Value of the land or interest transferred |
| Mortgage | $50 | $5 | $5,000 | Principal amount secured by the mortgage |
How to read this table: divide the value by the step size, round up to a whole number, multiply by the per-step charge and add the base fee. A home at exactly $385,000 is 77 steps, for a fee of $435. At $385,001 the rounding adds a whole step, and the fee becomes $440.
In effect the transfer fee is about one-tenth of one percent of the price plus the base fee, and the mortgage fee is the same share of the loan. The current scale applies to registrations the Land Titles Office received on or after October 20, 2024. Before that date the Government of Alberta charged $2 per $5,000 on transfers and $1.50 per $5,000 on mortgages, so the levy more than doubled the per-step charge on transfers and more than tripled it on mortgages. Service Alberta’s common documents fee schedule effective October 1, 2026 keeps both rows at the same $50 plus $5 per $5,000, so the calculations on this page hold before and after that date.
A few registrations use a different base and are not covered here: leasehold transfers are valued differently, a supplemental or amending mortgage with the same lender pays only on the added principal, and certain transfers connected to a mortgage are exempt from the transfer levy. The land transfer tax calculator handles the Alberta fees on their own when only the closing cost is needed.
Does Alberta charge tax on the CMHC premium?
No. CMHC names exactly three provinces that apply provincial sales tax to the mortgage loan insurance premium, and Alberta is not one of them. The rates below come from each province’s tax authority:
| Province | Tax on the premium | How it is paid |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 8% retail sales tax | Paid separately when the mortgage is set up; it cannot be added to the mortgage loan amount. |
| Quebec | 9% tax on insurance premiums, rising to 9.975% for premiums paid after December 31, 2026 | Paid separately when the mortgage is set up; it cannot be added to the mortgage loan amount. |
| Saskatchewan | 6% PST | Paid separately when the mortgage is set up; it cannot be added to the mortgage loan amount. |
A province that does not appear in this table charges no tax on the premium. Alberta is absent, so the Alberta calculator adds nothing for it.
Manitoba used to tax the premium and stopped for contracts that took effect after June 30, 2020, which is why it is not in the table either. For Alberta, the Canada Revenue Agency’s rate table records Alberta’s provincial sales tax as zero, with only the 5% GST applying to taxable purchases.
The practical result is that the entire cost of insurance in Alberta can ride inside the mortgage. On the $525,000 example, adding the premium to the loan raises the payment from $2,586.34 to $2,666.52, and costs about $9,405 of extra interest over 25 years if the rate never changed. Paying the premium in cash avoids that interest but needs $14,647.50 more on closing day. An Ontario buyer does not get the same choice for the tax part: the $1,171.80 of Ontario tax on that premium can only be paid in cash. The CMHC insurance calculator shows the premium alone for any price and down payment.
How do Alberta closing costs compare with Ontario and B.C.?
The table prices the same three homes at 10% down in all three provinces, counting only the government charge on the transfer, the Alberta mortgage fee and any tax on the CMHC premium. First-time buyer columns assume every buyer on title qualifies for Ontario’s refund or B.C.’s exemption; Alberta has no equivalent because there is no tax to relieve.
| Price (10% down) | Alberta: transfer fee plus mortgage fee | Ontario: land transfer tax plus tax on the premium | Ontario, first-time buyer | B.C.: property transfer tax | B.C., first-time buyer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $385,000 | $845 | $5,109.32 | $1,109.32 | $5,700 | $0 |
| $525,000 | $1,115 | $8,146.80 | $4,146.80 | $8,500 | $500 |
| $690,000 | $1,435 | $11,815.08 | $7,815.08 | $11,800 | $3,800 |
How to read this table: read across a row to compare the same purchase in three provinces. On the $525,000 home, an Alberta buyer pays $7,031.80 less than an Ontario buyer and $7,385 less than a B.C. buyer who does not qualify for relief. First-time relief narrows the gap, and at $385,000 a qualifying B.C. buyer pays no transfer tax at all, so Alberta is not always the cheapest line. Ontario’s and B.C.’s own land registration fees, and Toronto’s municipal tax, are not included.
The Ontario and B.C. figures come from each province’s brackets:
How to read this table: each rate applies only to the slice of the price inside its row; qualifying first-time buyers get up to $4,000 back.
| Portion of the price from | Up to | Rate on that portion |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $55,000 | 0.5% |
| $55,000 | $250,000 | 1% |
| $250,000 | $400,000 | 1.5% |
| $400,000 | $2,000,000 | 2% |
| $2,000,000 | — | 2.5% |
Source: Calculating Land Transfer Tax — ontario.ca; Land Transfer Tax Refunds for First-Time Homebuyers — ontario.ca. In effect from January 1, 2017; checked September 29, 2026.
How to read this table: the last row is an additional charge on residential value over $3,000,000. First-time buyers who qualify pay nothing up to $500,000 and save up to $8,000 above it, phased out near the top of the range.
| Portion of the value from | Up to | Rate on that portion |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $200,000 | 1% |
| $200,000 | $2,000,000 | 2% |
| $2,000,000 | — | 3% |
| $3,000,000 | — | 2% |
Source: Property transfer tax — Province of British Columbia; Property transfer tax calculation examples — Province of British Columbia; First time home buyers' program — Province of British Columbia; First time home buyers' exemption amounts — Province of British Columbia; Newly built home exemption — Province of British Columbia; Newly built home exemption amounts — Province of British Columbia; Additional property transfer tax — Province of British Columbia. In effect from April 1, 2024; checked October 11, 2026.
For a buyer relocating from Toronto or Vancouver, the move changes the cash plan more than the payment. The loan, the premium and the monthly amount are the same for the same price; the savings come from what disappears at closing. A detailed province-by-province view is in the land transfer tax by province guide.
What does a 30-year amortization change on an Alberta purchase?
For insured buyers, 30 years is only available to first-time buyers and buyers of newly built homes, and the premium moves to CMHC’s higher schedule. The table keeps 10% down and the same example rate.
| Price | Payment over 25 years | Payment over 30 years | Premium over 30 years | Lower payment each month | Extra interest over the life of the loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $385,000 | $1,955.45 | $1,781.92 | $11,434.50 | $173.53 | $54,164 |
| $525,000 | $2,666.52 | $2,429.89 | $15,592.50 | $236.63 | $73,860 |
| $690,000 | $3,504.57 | $3,193.57 | $20,493 | $311 | $97,073 |
How to read this table: the fifth column is the monthly room the longer amortization frees up; the last column is what it costs if the rate never changed and no prepayments were made. On these examples the Alberta mortgage registration fee does not move, because the slightly larger premium does not push the loan into a new $5,000 step. Pairing the longer amortization with prepayments recovers much of the interest; the mortgage prepayment calculator models that.
Can an Alberta income support this payment?
The payment is only half of the approval question. For insured mortgages the lender tests it at the higher of the contract rate plus 2 percentage points or 5.25%, then checks that housing costs stay within 39% of gross income and all debts within 44%. On the $525,000 example, the qualifying rate is 6.39% and the tested payment is about $3,230.61 a month, against a real payment of $2,666.52.
Gross income is what the ratios use, but take-home pay is what covers the payment. The Alberta salary and income tax calculator turns a salary into monthly take-home pay after Alberta and federal tax, CPP and EI, and the mortgage affordability calculator runs the 39% and 44% ratios from income, debts, property tax and heating to find the largest mortgage a lender would approve.
What happens at renewal on the starter-home example?
After a five-year term the balance of about $426,915 is renewed at whatever rate is available, with 20 years left.
| Rate at renewal | New monthly payment | Change from the first term |
|---|---|---|
| 3.39% | $2,446.71 | −$219.81 |
| 4.39% | $2,666.52 | No change |
| 5.39% | $2,895.97 | +$229.45 |
How to read this table: one point of rate moves this payment by roughly $225 a month. If the mortgage is later increased with the same lender through a supplemental or amending mortgage, the Land Titles Act charges the Alberta mortgage fee only on the added principal; a new mortgage registered in favour of a different lender pays the fee on its full principal. The mortgage renewal calculator handles a different term or remaining amortization.
Which federal programs help Alberta buyers?
Because Alberta has no provincial transfer tax, it also has no provincial first-time buyer rebate on closing. The federal programs apply the same way as in any other province:
- First Home Savings Account (FHSA): $8,000 of contributions a year to a lifetime $40,000, deductible going in and tax-free coming out for a qualifying first home. The FHSA contribution limit guide covers carry-forward.
- RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan: up to $60,000 per buyer from their own RRSP, repaid over 15 years; see the Home Buyers’ Plan explainer.
- First-time home buyers’ tax credit: a $10,000 amount that is worth up to $1,400 of federal tax for 2026.
- GST rebate on a new home: a first-time buyer of a newly built home can recover the GST up to $50,000 when the price is $1,000,000 or less, phasing out by $1,500,000. In Alberta the whole sales tax on a new home is the 5% GST, so there is no provincial portion to worry about.
Common mistakes with an Alberta mortgage estimate
- Budgeting for a land transfer tax that does not exist. A closing-cost estimate built for Ontario or B.C. adds a percentage-based tax. In Alberta the government charge on closing is the two land titles fees.
- Forgetting the second fee. The transfer fee is only half of it; registering the mortgage costs a similar amount on the loan.
- Measuring the mortgage fee on the loan before insurance. When the premium is added, the amount secured is larger, and the fee is based on that.
- Carrying over an Ontario habit of setting cash aside for tax on the premium. No tax on the CMHC premium is due in Alberta.
- Ignoring the rounding. A price just over a $5,000 boundary adds a full step to the fee. The effect is small, but it explains why two calculators can differ by $5.
- Using a US calculator. Canadian fixed rates compound semi-annually; monthly compounding overstates the payment.
- Treating the down payment as the only cash needed. Legal fees, title insurance and the property tax adjustment still apply in Alberta even without a transfer tax.
When is an Alberta real estate lawyer or broker worth talking to?
In Alberta a real estate lawyer normally registers both the transfer and the mortgage at the Land Titles Office, collects the fees and prepares the statement of adjustments, so a lawyer’s quote is the reliable figure for total closing costs on a specific property. A licensed mortgage broker or a lender’s specialist can confirm the rate, the insurer’s premium and whether a 30-year insured amortization is available. Self-employment income, a gifted or borrowed down payment, a rural acreage, a leasehold title or a new build with GST adjustments are situations where professional advice is worth getting before signing. This page is general education, not financial or legal advice.
Where do the Alberta figures on this page come from?
The land titles fees come from the Land Titles Act (sections 64.1 and 102.1), the Government of Alberta’s land title registration page and Service Alberta’s common documents fee schedule. The premium tax list comes from CMHC and provincial tax authorities, the premiums and down payment rules from CMHC and the federal mortgage insurance rules, the Ontario and B.C. brackets from each province’s finance ministry, and the federal programs from the Department of Finance and the Canada Revenue Agency. Each rule sits in a data file with its source, the date it took effect and the date it was last checked. When Alberta changes its fee schedule, the file is updated and this page and the money guide to living in Alberta change with it.